THE ROYAL Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) is calling for an end to clock changes in order to prevent serious injury and death on the road.
The family safety charity supports the European Parliament proposal to stop the obligatory one hour, twice yearly clock change which extends daylight hours in the summer, but reduces usable daylight hours in winter evenings.
Each year, when the clocks go back in the autumn, there is a marked spike in the number of vulnerable road users killed and seriously injured, according to RoSPA chief executive Errol Taylor: ‘Clock changes were first introduced in 1916 to reflect the needs of a nation at war. However, our priority now should be the prevention of road accidents that cause serious injury and death.
‘We know that the clock change kills people. During the working week, casualty rates peak at 8am and 10am and 3pm and 7pm, with the afternoon peak being higher. Road casualty rates increase with the arrival of darker evenings and worsening weather conditions.’
For decades, RoSPA has been at the forefront of the campaign to give the UK an extra hour of evening daylight all year round.
In 2012, Conservative MP Rebecca Harris brought forward Private Members legislation entitled the ‘Daylight Saving Bill’ which called for a review of the potential costs and benefits of advancing time by one hour for all, or part of, the year. Despite enjoying considerable cross party support, the passage of the Bill was blocked by a small number of MPs.
