British Summertime Factsheet

Lighter Evenings

INTRODUCTION ( PDF format 127kb)
In the UK, clocks follow Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) from October to March and British Summer Time (BST) which is GMT + 1 hour from March to October. Most European countries follow Central European Time, which is one hour ahead of GMT in winter and 2 hours ahead of GMT in summer i.e., always one hour ahead of the UK.

Changing Britain’s timekeeping to Single/Double British Summertime (SDST) so that during Winter, time would be GMT+1 and during summer, time would be GMT+2 would create lighter evenings all year round and result in fewer people being killed and injured in road accidents. It would also bring significant environmental, economic, and health benefits - the latter being particularly relevant to the concerns about obesity and public health. This change would also put Britain into the Central European Time Zone.

THE ROAD SAFETY BENEFITS
During the week, casualty rates peak at 8am and 5pm for adults and 8am and 3.30pm for children, with the afternoon peak being higher for both. Road casualty rates increase with the arrival of darker evenings and worsening weather conditions. Every Autumn when the clocks go back and sunset occurs earlier in the day, road casualties and the casualty rate rise.

2005	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Deaths	264	222	254	212	246	269	261	268	289	287	319	310
Casualties	22,055	19,617	20,365	21,396	23,206	22,945	23,280	22,761	22,575	23,916	25,315	23,586
Casualty Rate*	58	51	49	51	54	53	52	50	52	55	62	60

*Rate per 100 million vehicle kilometres

The effects of clocks going back in October are greatest for the most vulnerable road users. In 2005, pedestrian deaths rose from 53 in October to 83 in November and 67 in December.

The Effect of Changing to Single/Double Summer Time on Road Accidents
The most recent research estimates that adopting Single/Double Summer Time in the UK would result in around 450 fewer road deaths and serious injuries, including between 104 and 138 fewer deaths.

This confirms earlier research which showed that the 1968/71 experiment, when British Standard Time (GMT + 1) was employed all year round (the clocks were advanced in March 1968 and not put back until October 1971) saved around 2,500 deaths and serious injuries each year of the trial period.

Although there may be more casualties in the morning during the winter, these would be outweighed by the reduction in casualties due to an hour of extra daylight in the evenings, producing a net reduction.

Extra evening daylight protects vulnerable road users like children, the elderly, cyclists and motorcyclists, making them more visible to motorists. There are more accidents in the afternoon rush hour than in the morning. Motorists are more tired after a day’s work and concentration levels are lower. Children tend to go straight to school in the morning but often digress on their way home and so increasing their exposure to the road environment. Social trips are generally made in the afternoon and evening.

However, many people are still cautious about accepting SDST and many firmly oppose it. A move to SDST is generally opposed by those industries whose workers rise early and utilise morning light, for example some farmers, those who collect and deliver milk, the building industry and postal workers (although the change to later deliveries may reduce the latter’s objections).

Tourism, leisure and sporting organisations generally support a move to SDST, welcoming the increased opportunities for activity presented by more daylight on weekday evenings – an increasingly important point. Road safety organisations are persuaded by the research on casualty reduction and support the adoption of SDST.

Many (but by no means all) people and organisations in Scotland oppose the move, citing the darker mornings as unwelcome and fearing they would lead to an increase in road casualties. In fact, the most recent research confirms a net reduction in casualties, even in Scotland. It would be possible to devolve the power to make decisions about time zones in Scotland to the Scottish Parliament.

Since the 1968/71 experiment, the road environment and people’s travel habits have changed enormously. Society is more reliant on the car, fewer children walk or cycle to school, school opening and closing hours have changed and opportunities for leisure activities are significantly greater.

A change to introduce lighter evenings should be introduced on a trial basis for 2 – 3 years (similar to experiment conducted during 1968/71). The decision about continuing permanently would then be based on the consequent effects on road casualties. This would provide objective, up-to-date evidence about the effects of SDST and also enable the public and the various industry and business sectors that would be affected to experience the change for themselves.

British Summertime Factsheet

Lighter Evenings

Further Reading