Accident rates and the impact of daylight saving time transitions

One-third of nations have adopted some form of Daylight Saving Time (DST). Associated costs and benefits include impacts on accident rates. Using data from 12.6 million accident claims in New Zealand during 2005–2016, the authors model accident rates as a function of various date-based predictors including days before/after the start and end of DST, holidays, day of week, and month of year. This is the first study to consider multiple accident categories (Road, Work, Falls and Home & Community), and the first in the southern hemisphere. The start of DST is associated with significantly higher rates of road accidents (first day +16% and second day +12%). Evidence that accident rates for Falls and Home & Community decline (increase) prior to the start (end) of DST suggest potential behavioural adaption from anticipating the change. While Work accidents show limited impact from DST changes, they exhibit a significant decline over the course of the week (Friday 13% lower than Monday), whereas Road accidents exhibit a significant increase (Friday 19% higher than Monday). The authors' results have implications for both DST implementation and policy.

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2017.11.029
• Record URL:
  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001457517304256
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00014575
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Abstract reprinted with permission of Elsevier.
• Authors:
  • Robb, David
  • Barnes, Thomas
• Publication Date: 2018-2

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 193-201
• Serial:
  • Accident Analysis & Prevention
  • Volume: 111
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0001-4575
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00014575

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash causes; Crash rates; Daylight saving time; Industrial accidents; Traffic crashes
• Geographic Terms: New Zealand
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01658279
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 29 2018 10:22AM