Oceanside Car Accidents and Daylight Saving Time

It is that time of the year again when clocks go forward, and residents of Oceanside and the rest of the state lose an hour of sleep. Although you might not associate a clock change with a rise in car accident rates, data shows that this is one of the most dangerous times of the year when it comes to serious and deadly traffic accidents. According to an article in Business Insider, daylight saving time “is literally killing us” because of the increase in injuries and deaths at this time of the year linked to losing just one hour of sleep. Our Oceanside car accident lawyers can say more about the dangers of daylight saving time, and we can also assist you with a claim if you are injured in a motor vehicle collision at this time of the year.

Car Accident Injuries and Other Death Rates Rise

As the article highlights, when we lose an hour of sleep due to daylight saving time, we are “prone to make more deadly mistakes on the road.” Indeed, “researchers estimate that car crashes in the US caused by sleepy daylight-saving drivers likely cost 30 extra people their lives over the nine-year period from 2002-2011.” Drivers are more tired when they have to commute to work in the dark, in addition to the fact that they are operating on less sleep. Even in the days and weeks following the changing of the clocks, most of us continue to experience an impact on our sleep schedules.

And it is not only drowsy or fatigued driving resulting in more car accidents that leads to an increased death rate around the start of daylight saving time. As the article underscores, rates of heart attacks also increase significantly due to a change in sleep schedules and amount of sleep. Further, there are “more reports of injuries at work” and “more strokes.” People have a more difficult time concentrating — and being careful — when they are operating on fewer hours of sleep.

How to Seek Compensation After a Car Accident or Other Accident Related to Sleep Loss and Daylight Saving Time

Daylight saving time does not change the fact that drivers and other parties owe a duty of care to motorists and pedestrians. Further, daylight saving time does not impact a property owner’s liability for various types of premises liability accidents involving negligence or other types of accidents that happen.

If another party’s negligence causes an accident or injury, it is important to seek advice from a personal injury attorney about how to move forward. In most cases, a person has two years from the date of the injury to file a civil lawsuit according to California law. After that time, the claim will usually become time-barred.

Contact an Oceanside Car Accident Lawyer

If you have any questions about seeking compensation after a car crash, one of the experienced Oceanside car accident attorneys at our firm can assist you. Whether you were injured in a collision that occurred near the start of daylight saving time or at another time of the year, our firm can help you to seek compensation for your injuries. Contact the Walton Law Firm to learn more about how we can assist you.

See Related Blog Posts: Bike Lanes May Be Critical for Preventing Injuries in California Dealing with “Intexticated” Drivers in Escondido