Change in the wintertime

On the night of this Saturday to Sunday, we will spend the wintertime. One hour less day, one hour more sleep. But especially: 47% increase in road accidents due to lack of brightness. For the Vélo-Cité association, what is important is "seeing and being seen".

In the night from Saturday to Sunday, it will be necessary to set back your clocks for one hour. Like every year, the changeover to winter time is synonymous with days that are getting shorter.

But not only: another less known consequence of the change of time is the increase in the number of accidents. Mainly those involving cyclists and pedestrians made less visible with a lack of brightness.

"In winter, the problem arises particularly since rush hours take place when it's dark," said Oriane Hommet, coordinator of the association Vélo-Cité.

Days are shorter and public lighting is not enough to make cyclists and pedestrians visible.

As a result, each year there is a 47% increase in bodily injuries for the only time slot 17h-19h, between October and November.

The recommendations

To protect yourself, "it is imperative to make yourself more visible when the night begins to fall," recommends Oriane Hommet. "You have to see and be seen, the minimum is to have wheel reflectors and reflectors on the pedals, to indicate its changes of direction."

"Maybe you can wear a reflective vest, and in the winter, we may tend to wear clothes that are duller colors than in summer, we blend more in the colors of the city. pay particular attention. "

"In 60% of accidents involving an automobile and a cyclist or pedestrian, the driver declares not to have seen the person," says the coordinator of the association Vélo-Cité. Hence the need to increase his vigilance.