BackChanging clocks risks safety on our streets
On Sunday 25 October 2009 British Summer Time ends and the clocks go back, a change which means darker evenings out on our streets and greater danger for pedestrians.
Living Streets, the national charity which stands up for pedestrians is calling for a review of the annual time changes to avoid the leap in pedestrians killed or seriously injured on our streets during the winter months.
By moving the clocks back each year and switching the extra hour of darkness from the mornings to early evenings, the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads gets an annual hike upwards. This trend is especially marked for children and older people, and it is pedestrians that are hit hardest. In September 2008 (before we returned to Greenwich Mean Time) there were 577 pedestrians killed or seriously injured in Great Britain. As winter set in and evenings got darker, this number shot up, with 720 pedestrians killed or seriously injured in October and 666 in November.
The most dangerous time on our roads is generally between 3pm and 6pm, when drivers are heading home for the day and children are making their way home from school. In the mornings, pupils tend to head straight for school, yet once the bell rings at the end of the day it’s only natural that they want to play out on the way home. The current situation actively makes this time period darker, lowering visibility and making streets more hazardous. In a similar vein, there tend to be fewer older people out and about in the early mornings, meaning the beneficiaries of the current time switch are limited to farmers, and those in the very far north of the country.
Tony Armstrong, Chief Executive of Living Streets, said:
“That vital hour of extra light in the evenings would have a major positive effect on communities around Britain. Lighter evenings would encourage people to stay out and enjoy their streets, and would make significant improvements to road safety.
“A government study done way back in 1998 suggested that up to 450 deaths and serious injuries could be prevented each year with this one move. It seems negligent that with this information in their hands they have still not acted. In the intervening years, up to 4,000 people may well have been needlessly killed and injured. Let’s make this year the last time we simply plough on as before: we need a serious trial of British Summer Time over the winter.”
For more information contact Anna Powell, Press Officer at anna.powell@livingstreets.org.uk, tel: 020 7377 4914.
Notes to editors
Living Streets, celebrating its 80th birthday this year, is the national charity that stands up for pedestrians. With our supporters we campaign to create safe, attractive and enjoyable streets, where people want to walk.
We have been the national voice for pedestrians throughout our 80 year history. In the early years, our campaigning led to the introduction of the driving test, pedestrian crossings and 30mph speed limits. Since then our ambition has grown. Today we influence decision makers nationally and locally, run successful projects to encourage people to walk, and provide specialist consultancy services to help reduce congestion and carbon emissions, improve public health, and make sure every community can enjoy vibrant streets and public spaces.
Published on: 22/10/2009
