Insurance companies are reminding consumers to take certain precautions this year.
Daylight Saving Time causes many of us to grumble about losing an hour of sleep, but this year, insurers used the date to remind consumers of other potential risks. They are hoping people will take certain precautions to keep themselves, their families and their properties safe.
Moving clocks ahead can come with greater hazards on the roads from sleep deprived drivers.
Just one hour’s difference from Daylight Saving Time causes traffic accidents to spike every year at this time. It takes only an hour of sleep deprivation and drivers’ alertness and reaction time can be compromised. With the speed and amount of traffic on today’s roadways, particularly at rush hour, every bit of sacrificed attention adds to the risk of collisions.
Insurance companies are reminding drivers to take care to make sure they get as much rest as possible this week, to pay attention and to make a particular effort to avoid distraction such as fiddling with the music, eating breakfast or drinking coffee, or using a smartphone.
Daylight Saving Time comes with unexpected health risks, including to your health and your home
One study looking at the sleep regularity index (SRI) showed that on days after people have experienced irregular sleep, being behind the wheel wasn’t the only hazard. Drowsiness during the daytime also increased the risk of weight gain, high blood pressure and heart disease as well as diabetes. On the week following the time change, heart attacks are more common. For this reason, many experts recommend taking it easy and making health-conscious choices for at least five days following the “spring forward.”
Another study reported by the Independent showed that the times in which burglaries occur shifts as the clocks are set ahead. This is because the times in which it is dark also shift. Therefore, people are advised to take precautions and make sure their preventative actions align with the changing time, particularly if it means it is dark before you leave home in the morning.
Finally, insurance companies also remind us that fire never pays attention to the time of day or night. Therefore, take the opportunity to allow Daylight Saving Time to remind you to set your clocks ahead and to change your smoke detector batteries, too. By doing these activities at the same time, you’ll make sure that your smoke detector is always fully charged and ready to protect you and your family. Don’t forget to check the device’s expiry date. It’s usually about ten years after installation. Replace the entire device and the batteries if needed.
It is not daylight saving time but clock changes that are the culprit. Standard time should be abolished – who wants it to be dark at 6:00 p.m., as it is each December? – or we should move our clocks back 30 minutes this Fall and leave them there.