GEM Motoring Assist is urging the Government to put road safety first and end what it calls the ‘pointless practice’ of putting the clocks back in late October.
GEM says there are a number of ‘simple but indisputable’ benefits of ending the current practice and adopting a year-round Single/Double British Summertime (SDST).
This includes preventing 80 deaths and more than 200 serious injuries each year.
In particular, GEM says the move would reduce the number of collisions during the evening rush hour. It points to statistics which show there are approximately 50% more fatal and serious injury collisions at this time than in the morning.
Neil Worth, GEM chief executive, said: “There are so many compelling reasons for making the change, and no relevant arguments at all for retaining the present arrangement.
“An experiment to use year-round British Summer Time for three years from 1968 led to an 11% reduction in road casualties in England and Wales, as well as a 17% drop in Scotland.
“Experts now estimate 80 deaths and more than 200 serious injuries would be prevented on the UK’s roads each year. According to the Home Office, there would also be a 3% reduction in crime.”
GEM has also published an ‘easy-to-follow’ selection of tips to help reduce collisions in time of dusk and darkness.
Makes sense – there’s no doubt moving about on the highway in the dark – whether motorised or cycling/on foot – is far more hazardous and risky than in daylight. Unfortunately driving habits don’t seem to change in the dark, therefore the risk inevitably goes up.
Hugh Jones, Cheshire
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