Clock change means 450 more accidents and 104 deaths

**WelshWizard** · 14th May 2008, 10:16

While looking for WRB info came across this bit of info from the Safermotorways web site
http://www.safermotorways.co.uk/feature41.htm

Originally Posted by Cambridge University Engineers

Summertime(BST) to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) will cause 450 more accidents and means 104 more people will die on our roads, according to Cambridge University engineers.

The argument to stop the practice of putting the clocks back one hour in October has been argued for as long as I can remember and the benefits of the change from BST to GMT do seem hard to justify.

Author of this latest report, Elizabeth Garnsey, is keen to get the debate back on the agenda.

Speaking in the Sunday Times, Garnsey says “Setting the clocks back to GMT is an institutional practice so well entrenched it is exempt from evidence-based policy making. No systematic evidence has been produced and no research commissioned in support of the governments position”.

It may apply to the UK but how many accidents occur here in NZ due to the summer/winter time changes and are these changes really required in this day and age

**Storm** · 14th May 2008, 10:18

yes they are required-they give me more riding time after work hours

**Katman** · 14th May 2008, 10:19

I think that's a perfect example of when statistics are totally pointless and the people who dream them up are totally brainless.

**The Pastor** · 14th May 2008, 10:22

Originally Posted by Katman

I think that's a perfect example of when statistics are totally pointless and the people who dream them up are totally brainless.

I will actually agree with you on this one.

**Usarka** · 14th May 2008, 10:32

yeah I bet you's read all 44 pages of the academically authored & referenced report before deciding it conflicted with your opinion and therefore is worthless.....

Another consideration is the impact the time change has on people who have sleeping difficulties, and the flow on effect to their productivity (and safety operating motor vehicles). Daylight savings time change is often a trigger for insomnia.....

**Katman** · 14th May 2008, 10:40

Actual statistics are usually worthwhile. Projected (or imagined) statistics are pointless.

**Dave-** · 14th May 2008, 11:06

Originally Posted by Storm

yes they are required-they give me more riding time after work hours

x2

I love those long summer evenings.

**Hitcher** · 14th May 2008, 11:43

Studies show that 87.1% of all statistics are made up.

**Badjelly** · 14th May 2008, 11:57

So it's the change from daylight/summer time back to normal time that's causing the problem? And the answer they seem to be suggesting is to keep daylight time all year round. ... [pauses to think] ... [brain cranking over] ... But then it wouldn't be daylight saving, would it?

**bert_is_evil** · 14th May 2008, 12:23

erm, whether or not you have daylight savings you can't avoid the fact that in winter there are less daylight hours so it's going to be dark at one of the traffic peak hours no matter what you do. DST only changes whether that is in the morning or at night. Seems more likely that the increase in road accidents is due to the darkness rather than insomnia etc

**Jiminy** · 14th May 2008, 12:39

Originally Posted by Katman

I think that's a perfect example of when statistics are totally pointless and the people who dream them up are totally brainless.

Looks like it's "Agreeing with Katman's week". Those numbers feel dangerously out of context.

Reading the report ("Daylight Saving in GB; Is there evidence in favour of clock time on GMT?") from the "Institute for Manufacturing news" (sic) quoted in the article, I feel that the argument about road accidents is less about daylight saving and more about synchronizing the UK with the rest of Europe (GMT +1/+2). Or have I missed something?

**Sidewinder** · 14th May 2008, 15:42

Originally Posted by WelshWizard

While looking for WRB info came across this bit of info from the Safermotorways web site
http://www.safermotorways.co.uk/feature41.htm

It may apply to the UK but how many accidents occur here in NZ due to the summer/winter time changes and are these changes really required in this day and age

its a waste of fucking time if your asking