At a glance
- As the clocks go back this weekend, new research from Zurich Insurance reveals that if you’re driving between 16:00 – 19:00 in November you’re more likely to have an accident than you would before the dark evenings took hold
- In fact, the insurance giant analysed thousands of car insurance claims from the last two years and found that prior to the autumn clock change, a quarter of car accidents occurred between 16:00-19:00
- Zurich’s data also shows that car damage from an accident costs on average £2,100 to fix. Overall, up to a third of cars (30%) are declared a total loss and written off.
As the clocks go back this weekend, new research from Zurich Insurance reveals that if you’re driving between 16:00 – 19:00 in November you’re more likely to have an accident than you would before the dark evenings took hold.
In fact, the insurance giant analysed thousands of car insurance claims from the last two years and found that prior to the autumn clock change, a quarter of car accidents occurred between 16:00-19:00. This increases to almost a third of all crashes (30%) in November after the clocks have changed. This equates to a 10-15% increase in accident volumes occurring within that timeframe when compared to the rest of the day.
Zurich’s data also shows that car damage from an accident costs on average £2,100 to fix. Overall, up to a third of cars (30%) are declared a total loss and written off.
Phil Ost, a car insurance expert at Zurich, commented on these findings: “With the clocks going back on Sunday, it is important that we all take the time to understand how it can impact us as road users, especially if commuting at the busiest times. Darker evenings can add risk to the rush hour, and our data shows that the hours between 16.00-19.00 is when the majority of crashes occur in November.
“Take additional caution as autumn driving presents different risks such as reduced daylight hours, wet or foggy weather and leaves and debris on the road causing potentially slippery conditions and often covering pot holes. We recommend that you take time to prepare your car for the colder and wetter days ahead and adjust your speed accordingly to minimise the odds of a collision on your journey.”
Here are Zurich’s top tips for driving safely after the autumn clock change:
- Prepare for driving at night time. Check your bulbs and ensure all your lights are working so that you can see and be seen by other road users.
- Minimise the glare. Clean your windscreen thoroughly inside and out and make sure that any cracks and chips are fixed before the cold weather sets in.
- Watch out for leaves and debris on the road. High winds and falling leaves can cover pot holes and dips in the road and make the road more slippery.
- As well as impacting visibility, fog can also contribute to making the road wet and slippery so always adjust your speed to driving conditions.
- Give your car a thorough check, including the tyres, brakes, wipers and liquids.
Source: Zurich