A new study by the Vias road safety institute shows that the number of pedestrians seriously injured or killed in traffic accidents increases by 76% after clocks are set back one hour.
When the clocks change to winter time, Belgian commuters lose an hour of daylight in the evening, which increases the risk for pedestrians and cyclists alike.
This is seen clearly in the latest figures from Vias, which show that the number of accidents involving pedestrians rises by 35% during the evening rush hour from October to November.
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Furthermore, the number of serious injuries and deaths among pedestrians during this period increased by 76%, "indicating that incidents are 31% more serious," according to the Institute.
This is also applicable to cyclists, for whom accidents occur four times more often in October than in June. This is in spite of there being fewer bikers on the roads in darker months.
Vias puts the findings down to the low visibility, with "some drivers failing to notice pedestrians and either stopping too late or failing to brake at all."
In addition, "the fact that journeys previously done by day must now be made in absolute darkness due also plays a part." Extra caution is urged for all road users.
