Vias: ‘Transition to wintertime is dangerous for pedestrians’

This weekend, we will switch to wintertime again. This means that from Saturday, October 26th, to Sunday, October 27th, 2024, we will switch from summer to wintertime. In concrete terms, this means turning the clock back one hour and getting one hour of extra sleep.

This also means it will get dark earlier, and, according to traffic safety institute Vias, pedestrians are particularly affected. According to a new statistical analysis by Vias, accidents with injuries increase by 35% during rush hour.

Pedestrians

The number of dead and seriously injured pedestrians even increases by 77%. So, not only are there more accidents, but they are also more severe. This should not be surprising because visibility decreases, and pedestrians, in particular, are often not visible in traffic. Some drivers do not see them or only see them too late.

Vias would like to offer a few tips for pedestrians and drivers. As a pedestrian, it is important to be visible in traffic, so choose reflective clothing or fluorescent material.

After all, reflective clothing will be noticed up to 150 meters away. Look several times before crossing. Finally, use pedestrian crossings as they remain the safest places to cross.

Drivers

As a driver, you must adjust your driving behavior and slow down near pedestrian crossings. Do not overtake at a pedestrian crossing. It is forbidden and also dangerous.

Switching between summer and wintertime was introduced in Belgium in 1977. On the last weekend of October, the clocks go back one hour. Wintertime runs until Sunday, March 30th, 2025. On the last weekend of March, the clocks go forward one hour.

Summertime and wintertime are agreements of the European Union. In almost all European countries, the clocks go forward one hour in March and an hour backward in October. Most European countries have introduced switching times to save energy.

Saving energy

Thanks to summertime, people can benefit from longer daylight in the evening, and no electric light is needed. Opponents, however, point to the disruption of the biorhythm.

About seventy countries in the world change the clock every six months. This includes all of Europe except Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iceland, Russia, Turkey, and Belarus.