“It turns out Monday after daylight saving time is one of the deadliest days on the road,” “Gridlock Sam” Schwartz, a former New York City transportation commissioner, told WCBS 880’s Marla Diamond.
A study analyzing a decade’s worth of data from the Fatal Accident Reporting System showed a 17-percent increase in traffic fatalities on the Monday after clocks spring forward.
“Researchers believe it has to do with the fact that many people just don’t get a good night’s sleep the first night of daylight saving time, and it takes about a week to get acclimated,” Schwartz said.
“I saw a pattern that would occur typically on the Monday and Tuesday after daylight saving time would be put into effect,” he said. “And I saw a lot of early-morning rush hour crashes.”
Schwartz said truckers were usually involved in the accidents.
“Their reaction times aren’t going to be as good as they normally are,” he said.
Schwartz’s advice: Drive defensively and perhaps have an extra cup of coffee.
