Last Updated on November 4, 2017 10:10 am
RALEIGH – This weekend marks the end of daylight saving time for 2017, as we move clocks one hour back, effective Sunday at 2 a.m. The extra hour of daylight in the evening goes away until Sunday, March 11, 2018.
That hour of daylight we will lose in the evening means drivers, cyclists and pedestrians need to pay extra attention while traveling along roads. For many residents, the time change means the commute home and evening walk, run, or bike ride will be in the dusk or even dark.
Below are tips to help keep you and others safe in the changing conditions.
For Drivers:
- Make sure your vehicle headlights are on;
- Keep an eye out for pedestrians, cyclists and deer;
- Protect your eyes from glare by allowing them to adapt to darkness before driving;
- Adjust the rearview mirror to the “night” setting to avoid headlight glare;
- Make sure your headlights and windshield (including the inside) are cleaned off and clear;
- Check your headlights to ensure they are properly aimed (If pointing the wrong way, they can blind others on the road and reduce your ability to see where you are going);
- If driving east in the morning or west in the afternoon, allow extra travel time, as you may deal with sun glare;
- Take off sunglasses as dusk approaches;
- Slow down and leave more space between your vehicle and the one in front of you;
- Switch to low beams when approaching a driver, cyclist or pedestrian; and
- Look down and toward the right edge of the road if you are blinded by light from an oncoming vehicle.
For Pedestrians and Cyclists:
- Walk facing traffic to see oncoming vehicles;
- Ride bikes in the same direction as vehicles;
- Wear brightly-colored, reflective, or fluorescent clothing;
- Carry a light and place reflective strips on items you may carry;
- Look right and left when crossing at a traffic signal; and
- Avoid jaywalking and crossing a road between parked vehicles.
