Turn Clocks Back This Weekend, But Drowsy Driving Is Concern: AAA

GARDEN CITY, NY — It's time again— an extra hour of sleep, but earlier evening darkness. That combination as Daylight Standard Time resumes this weekend could cause difficulties for drivers.

After the time change, 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. becomes increasingly dangerous, according to a AAA Northeast analysis of 2018 to 2022 crash data from the New York State DMV. Across New York, there was an 84 percent increase in crashes in the 5 p.m. hour in the four weeks following the "fall back" compared to the four weeks prior.

The danger is more troubling for pedestrians. Statewide, according to AAA, crashes in the 5 p.m. increase by 112 percent in Long Island.

"When daylight saving time ends, it not only gets darker earlier, but our sleep cycles may be altered," said Alec Slatky, Managing Director for AAA Northeast. "That’s why it’s crucial for drivers to be well-rested and extra vigilant behind the wheel as they adjust to the time change."

The biggest issue for people behind the wheel is driving drowsy. During a recent simulated nighttime driving experiment, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found 75 percent of participants who rated their level of drowsiness as low were, in fact, moderately or severely drowsy.