Fri, March 11, 2022 11:55 a.m.

AAA has advice for motorists, pedestrians

By AAA of Western and Central New York

It’s time to ‘go forward’ and move the clocks forward one hour from Sunday March 13 at 2:00 a.m. The loss of an hour of sleep and the change in daylight hours means motorists can potentially experience drowsy driving and additional distractions while driving as children and pedestrians. take advantage of more daylight.

The 4 main precautions that drivers must take into account:

√ Drowsy driving; “Slow down, move”

√ Children walk home from school or play outside

√ Frosted headlights

√ Vehicle Recalls

Drowsy driving

Don’t sleep at the wheel. Drowsy driving is a major road safety issue. Drivers “advancing” by putting their clocks forward one hour should remember to adjust their sleep schedule to avoid drowsiness on the road.

“While many people look forward to the end of winter, few realize the additional dangers that can result from a time change, especially while driving,” said Elizabeth Carey, Director of Public Relations, AAA Western and Central New York. “This time change can disrupt sleep patterns, possibly even leading to drowsy driving.”

According to research by the AAA Foundation:

√ 95% of drivers consider drowsy driving very or extremely dangerous, but 17% admitted to driving when they were so tired they had trouble keeping their eyes open at least once in the past 30 days preceding the survey (2020 Traffic Safety Cultural Index).

√ Drivers who have slept less than five hours have an accident risk comparable to that of a drunk driver.

√ Drivers who miss one to two hours of sleep can nearly double their crash risk.

As we welcome more daylight in the evening, children, pedestrians, joggers, walkers and cyclists will likely become more active outdoors (weather permitting). Pedestrians dress in reflective clothing and cross at intersections or crosswalks. Look left, right, and left again and only cross when it’s clear. Do not jaywalk or cross between parked cars. Avoid walking in traffic where there are no sidewalks or crosswalks. If you must walk on a road that has no sidewalks, walk facing traffic.

AAA recommends pilots:

√ Should not rely on their body for warning signs of drowsiness and should instead favor at least seven hours of sleep before hitting the road.

√ Travel at times of day when they are normally awake.

√ Avoid heavy foods.

√ Avoid drugs that cause drowsiness or other disturbances.

Slow down Move

Tired drivers aren’t as focused and, although there’s more daylight, they’re still likely to be distracted. First responders, construction workers and people stranded on the side of the road are vulnerable to drivers who are not careful and are at greater risk of being hit.

√ It’s not just tow truckers and other emergency responders who are killed on the side of the road. Since 2015, more than 1,600 people have been struck and killed while outside a disabled vehicle.

To protect roadside workers, stranded drivers and others, AAA offers these tips:

√ Stay alert, avoid distractions and focus on driving.

√ Keep an eye out for situations where emergency vehicles, tow trucks, utility vehicles or broken down vehicles are stopped on the side of the road.

√ When you see these situations, slow down and, if possible, move one lane above and away from people and vehicles stopped on the side of the road.

school safety

Beware of children playing outside at night in the middle of daylight. Also, wasting an hour on the weekend can make drivers foggy for the Monday morning commute when the kids go to school. Motorists should remain vigilant. AAA recommends the following:

√ Slow down. Speed ​​limits in school zones are reduced for a reason. A pedestrian hit by a vehicle traveling at 25 mph is nearly two-thirds less likely to be killed than a pedestrian hit by a vehicle traveling just 10 mph faster.

√ Stay alert. Drivers should always avoid distracted driving, but it’s especially important in school zones and residential neighborhoods. Look for clues such as AAA School Safety Patrol members, school crossing guards, bicycles, and playgrounds, indicating that children may be in the area.

√ Scan between parked cars – kids might rush into the road.

√ Always stop at school buses loading or unloading students.

Frosted headlights

Changing the clocks is a good reminder to check the condition of your headlights.

√ With 50% of accidents occurring at night, drivers should check their headlights for signs of deterioration and invest in new headlights; or, at a minimum, low-cost headlight cleaning and restoration to enhance driving safety after dark. Headlights may show signs of deterioration after three years, but most often around the fifth year.

√ AAA suggests drivers check their headlights for appearance changes such as yellowing or clouding. If the bulb is hard to see, it’s time to replace or restore the lens as soon as possible.

Replacement and restoration services are available at most repair shops, including AAA Authorized Auto Repair Centers.

Make sure the headlights are properly re-aimed to maximize forward lighting performance and minimize glare for oncoming and preceding drivers.

Check vehicle recalls

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) recall app makes it easier to check vehicles for safety recalls with their new free SaferCar smartphone app, allowing drivers to park their cars in a “virtual garage” and save their cars. be immediately alerted when a reminder is issued. The SaferCar app allows users to receive recall notices for car seats, tires, trailers, trucks, vans and motorcycles. SaferCar remembers all registered vehicles and equipment and will even recommend local dealerships to handle repairs.

As the largest member services organization in Upstate New York, AAA Western and Central New York provides more than 887,000 members with travel, insurance, financial, and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1900, AAA has been a leading advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. Visit AAA at www.AAA.com.