The Time Change, a Risk Factor

In the early hours of this Sunday, March 28, summer time comes into effect. The clocks must be advanced one hour (at 2:00 it will be 3:00), according to the community directive that forces the time change to make better use of the hours of sunshine. This sudden change in our routines can cause imbalances in our body, such as fatigue, sleep or distractions, which can have an impact, logically, on road safety.

Some of the symptoms described that can affect daily driving can appear for three to four days after the change because the pace of life remains the same even if the hours do not match. If you are prone to migraines or stress, be especially careful when driving the car, because you may be more sensitive to having episodes of pain.

It is important to follow a more or less stable schedule of meals and hours of sleep, always resting the recommended eight hours. Regarding diet, avoiding caffeine will help not to disrupt the body more. Especially if you plan to go on a trip in the next few days.

Drowsiness and accidents

Sleeping at the wheel is a circumstance that is related to a large number of traffic accidents, with daytime sleepiness the leading cause in 30% of these, especially in the professional sector. Drivers who present a high risk of accidents due to sleep are mainly drivers who work shifts, young people, those with sleep-related illnesses and those who drive under the influence of alcohol and / or drugs.

The most important alterations produced by drowsiness and affecting driving are: increased reaction time; less concentration and more distractions; slower decision making and more mistakes; motor, sensory and perceptual disturbances; more automated movements; appearance of micro-dreams; behaviour changes.

According to the First Report on Occupational Road Safety in Spain, prepared by the Royal Automobile Club of Spain (RACE), in collaboration with GAD3, employed workers think that stress (72%), as well as fatigue (67%) and mobile phone use (66%) are the main reasons for accidents. Self-employed workers coincide in the first two factors (83% in both), while long working hours are in third place (73%).