Would A Clock Change Reduce The Chances Of Child Injuries On The Road?

The arrival of winter brings with it shorter days

, less daylight and, according to the road safety charity Brake, an estimated 450 extra deaths and injuries per year that could, they argue, be avoided.

The Government is backing a plan to give another hour of daylight throughout the year, by scrapping the winter time-change. It is believed that such measures would result in less energy consumption, improved health and fewer accidents. A significant number of those involved in road traffic accidents during the colder months are children. The 'gaining of an hour' during winter means that many pupils are travelling to and from school in the dark, thereby increasing their risk of being involved in an accident of some form.

The Times they are A-Changing?

Brake has been working in partnership with Autoglass to highlight the dangers of travelling in these conditions, urging drivers to take extra care and pedestrians and cyclists to wear reflective high-visibility clothing. Alarmingly, their research has found that while 79% of pedestrians are aware of the benefits of wearing clothing to increase visibility, less than half of this number actually follows their own advice. Brake's figures reveal that five people are killed and 65 are injured every day on British roads. During the winter, these figures increase. Autoglass managing director, Matthew Mycock, says that: "As the clocks go back, visibility is reduced and drivers can find it harder to see vulnerable cyclists and pedestrians. Dressing brightly is such a simple way to improve your safety in the winter months, yet many people don't do it."

Supporting Autoglass' views, Brake's campaigns director, Julie Townsend says that: "When the clocks go back, the risk to pedestrians and cyclists increases. This out-dated system needs to be changed, which is why we support the Lighter Later campaign for clocks to be put forward year-round. If the government acts now and makes this the last time the clocks go back, it will prevent needless suffering among hundreds of families each year."

Kept in the Dark.

In direct correlation to the number of winter accidents, the number of personal injury compensation claims also increases at this time of year. Victims are best advised to seek justice with the assistance of a fully qualified personal injury specialist. This can help speed the process up and ensure that the victim receives all the compensation to which they are entitled. While personal injury solicitors are not legally required for cases that involve children injured in road traffic accidents, they can help to ensure that the right experts and witnesses are approached to ensure that the case is settled swiftly and to the victim's benefit.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has also lent its voice to the campaign, urging drivers and motorcyclists to "watch their speed, particularly in residential areas and around schools." To further support its views, RoSPA cites evidence from a trial conducted between 1968 and 1971, in which BST was adopted throughout the year by certain areas of England and Scotland. During the trial, it was found that around 2,500 deaths and injuries were prevented as a direct result of eschewing the winter time frame. Not only could reverting back to this system save lives, it could also save hundreds of thousands of pounds in compensation claims too.

by: Nick Jervis

POST COMMENT

Different Types Of Office Folders New Study Suggest Alcoholism Can Cause Brain Damage Have A Sugar Free Slice Of Heavenly Peach Keen Cake Cream Eczema Reduce Cream Dependency Breville 800jexl - Things To Know Earlier Than You Purchase Massage Palm Beach Gardens Allowing You To Unwind Jerome Zanchius' The Doctrine Of Absolute Predestination Story Of Dwight Gooden, A Cautionary Tale Of Dangers Of Drug Abuse Stop Foot Odor - Get Rid Of Foot Odor Facts You May Not Know About Painkiller Addiction Chandeliers Fibromyalgia - What Is Fibromyalgia? Youth Unemployment