Quantcast
Channel: AOL UK Cars
Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 9987

Bring the clocks forward say motoring organisations

$
0
0

Filed under:

Bring the clocks forward
Bringing British Summer Time (BST) forward by an hour could save lives, say motoring organisations.

The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) is calling for a changes to BST to give motorists more daylight hours to drive in, consequently saving lives and preventing accidents.
Figures from the Department for Transport show that changing the daylight hours could prevent about 80 deaths and at least 200 serious injuries on the UK's roads each year.

The IAM also says the changes would align the hours of daylight to the waking and working hours of the vast majority of the population.

Road casualty rates increase with the arrival of darker evenings, says the IAM. In 2011, for instance, the number of pedestrians killed or seriously injured in November was 14 per cent more than the monthly average.

Meanwhile cyclist casualties were five per cent higher, and motorcycle casualties per vehicle mile was 28 per cent higher.

IAM chief executive Simon Best said: "Making evenings lighter would save lives. While an extra hour of daylight would help to make the commute home much safer for all road users, children, cyclists and motorcyclists would benefit most.

"We want to see a three-year trial of the new daylight system. If the trial period proves the new daylight hours have a positive effect on road safety, it is clear that it is the system we should keep. With convincing evidence of the potential benefits, it is only right that we pilot a new system."

The calls from the IAM are also being supported by the AA who say that despite the proposals being controversial, they should be implemented.

"The seat belt law was similarly controversial back in the 1980s - with many opposed to being required to wear a belt," said Andrew Howard, the AA's head of road safety. "Then a three-year trial was introduced, and a monitoring system established." The same approach should be used for changing the clocks, with Parliament required to confirm the change three years after its implementation."

What do you think? Would you favour the clocks going forward? Let us know by posting your comments below

 


Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 9987

Trending Articles



<script src="https://jsc.adskeeper.com/r/s/rssing.com.1596347.js" async> </script>