Time for change

Oct 23 2009 Maurice Glover

Time for change

SAFETY experts are continuing to press for a new time system that would add an extra hour's daylight each evening all through the year.

In the run-up to switching clocks back to wintertime, RoSPA is renewing its call for the introduction of Single Double Summer Time, a change that would put clocks one hour ahead of GMT in winter and two hours ahead in summer.

'Research has shown that a move to SDST could cut road deaths by around 80 per year and serious injuries by around 212 per year. Even though it would cost £5 million to publicise the change, the reduction in road casualties would result in benefits of £138 million each year," said RoSPA chief executive Tom Mullarkey.

'Another report has found that collisions that kill or injure pedestrians increase by 10 per cent in the four weeks following the clocks going back compared with the previous four weeks.

'We need to keep the momentum behind this long-running campaign. In view of the reports published this year, plus the casualty data from 2008, we will continue to call for a change which, we believe, would save lives and reduce injuries.

'Casualty data shows that more pedestrians are killed and injured in the afternoon and early evening than in the morning. Therefore, by moving to SDST, vulnerable road users like children walking home from school would have an extra hour of daylight in which to make their journeys.

'It is time for this issue to come off the shelf and for the full implications to be considered.'

A total of 572 pedestrians were killed on Britain's roads last year. Pedestrian deaths rose from 55 in October to 62 in November - the month in which the most pedestrian fatalities were recorded.

In March 2008, 61 pedestrians were killed, but in April - after the clocks had moved forward an hour - the figure dropped to 34.