The media seems to be in a frenzy over recent time change. News outlets have been quick to point out other flaws in the daylight savings system. For example Forbes noted that a 2014 study published in the Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, found that Daylight Saving Time might actually be increasing energy consumption rather than reducing energy use as designed. Other headlines claim that daylight savings could be pointless and even deadly.
Could daylight savings actually be dangerous?
The answer is more complex that it may initially seem. While the claim might seem slightly extreme, consider the fact that drowsiness, disorientation, fatigue and other complications which evolve from lack of sleep are some of the largest contributors to auto accidents, workplace accidents and other fatal mistakes. According to a study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, Most Americans experience an average sleep loss of about 40 min due to time changes from daylight savings. This means that millions of Americans, and nearly a billion and a half people around the globe, will experience some level of exposure to sleep interruption, loss or shortage due to daylight savings time. Since sleep is important for maintaining the body’s daily performance levels, many individuals end up feeling groggy, disoriented, sluggish and over all slightly impaired when their normal sleep patterns are interrupted. This in turn can impact driving abilities and work performance and increase the risk of an accident or injury in the days that follow daylight savings time change.
Both the US Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration warn that lack of sleep significantly affects your ability to drive safely, even if you don’t fall asleep at the wheel. According to a CDC study, 4.2% of nearly 150,000 adult drivers across 19 states reported that they had fallen asleep while driving at least once in the previous 30 days before the study. Further research indicates that drowsiness makes drivers less attentive, reduces reaction times, and affects a driver’s ability to make decisions. Some experts have even suggests that drowsy driving is vastly more dangerous that drunk driving because Americans are far more likely to do it regularly.While daylight savings time might result in more Florida motorists driving while drowsy and more workers trekking through their daily duties slightly more distracted and disoriented, the extent of the effects of the time change greatly very from person to person.
When it comes to staying safe out on the road, it is important that Florida drivers get as much rest a possible at all times before operating their vehicles. But even the safest driving practices aren’t always enough to prevent an accident, which is why finding the cheap car insurance Orlando drivers need, that still provides the quality they deserve is vital. The Orlando car insurance experts at Newman Crane can help your secure the coverage you need at prices you can afford. To learn more about our operation and all of our personal insurance solutions, contact us today at (407) 859-3691.