Love it or hate it, at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 12 clocks will move forward one hour as British Columbia once more “springs ahead” into spring and recognizes the annual start of Daylight Saving Time.
It means that we will all lose an hour of sleep because of the change, and that could lead to more fatigued drivers — and a greater risk of crashes — on B.C.’s roads, as body clocks take time to catch up with alarm clocks.
The time change on March 12 can disrupt circadian rhythms, which is the process that regulates our sleeping cycle. It can cause some people to lose sleep for several days after the time change. and the resulting fatigue can affect their ability to safely drive.
“Fatigue is a type of impairment that reduces mental and physical performance,” says Trace Acres, program director for Road Safety at Work. “Research shows it’s a contributing factor in about 20 per cent of crashes.”
Researchers have cited a six per cent increase in fatal vehicle collisions in the U.S. through the first five work days after the switch to Daylight Saving Time.
Fatigued drivers are more likely to take risks and forget or ignore normal checks or procedures. They’re less able to judge distance, speed, and time, and are also less able to absorb critical driving information and respond to it.
“Reacting a fraction of a second faster or slower can be the difference between a near miss and a serious, costly crash,” Acres says. That’s especially true at this time of year, when snowy and icy roads make driving hazardous.
For the thousands of people who drive for work in the Thompson-Nicola region, fatigue adds to the challenge. Whether they drive full time, part time, or occasionally – such as to pick up supplies or call on a client – driving may be the most dangerous thing they do on the job. Vehicle crashes are the leading cause of traumatic work-related fatalities in B.C.
B.C. had 576,923 vehicles insured for business use at the end of 2021, according to ICBC. In addition, vehicles insured for pleasure use can be used for business up to six days per month.
“Fatigue can affect all drivers regardless of age, skill level, or experience,” says Acres. “Whether you drive for several hours each day or just a few minutes, there is plenty you can do to improve your own safety and help make sure you’re not involved in a crash because of fatigue.”
In order to avoid the time change fatigue trap, drivers should get enough sleep by going to bed early in the days immediately before and after the time change, and aim for seven or eight hours of sleep each night. Keep energy levels up by eating good meals and healthy snacks; don’t leave driving until the end of the day when you’re bound to be tired; and avoid distractions by putting away your phone.
British Columbians made it loud and clear in 2019 that they were in favour of legislation that would allow the province to observe Daylight Saving Time permanently, eliminating the time changes in spring and fall.
More than 200,000 people completed an online survey from the province about Daylight Saving Time, and the majority of the respondents indicated they wanted the annual changeover to stop.
As a result, B.C. passed legislation outlining its plan to switch to “Pacific Standard Time”, which would mean later sunrises and sunsets, and more sunlight in the evening hours. However, the new legislation was contingent on the Yukon and the Pacific Northwest states of Washington, Oregon, and California also committing to making the shift.
Yukon residents last changed their clocks on March 8, 2020. Oregon and Washington states passed legislation in 2019 to make daylight saving permanent, while voters in California passed a proposition in favour of the change in November 2018.
All U.S. states wanting to make the permanent switch are now waiting on Washington, DC. The U.S. Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act in March 2022. but the House of Representatives, now controlled by Republicans, has yet to vote on the issue. If the bill passes, it would take effect in November 2023.
However, passage of the bill does not necessarily guarantee that state legislatures would quickly follow, so British Columbians might be making the switches in spring and fall for some time.
Health experts say the change to permanent Daylight Saving Time would improve overall wellness by foregoing the taxing time changes, and economists suspect it could also give people more sunlight in the evening hours, in which they could spend more money.
Experts also say it would improve traffic safety by shifting an hour of daylight to the busier evening traffic hours during the later months of the years.
There is a flip side, however: the sun would not rise until after 8:45 a.m. in the winter months, raising concerns about the safety of children and others walking to school or work. Under the current system, the sun typically rises at about 7:45 a.m. at the beginning of December.
With files from Wolf Depner