The Prime Minister’s test to support the use of European time here in the UK could hinge on something as unlikely as road crashes. David Cameron is being besieged by driving safety organizations to make the switch to European time based upon the number of accidents that shall be avoided as a result.
It is unknown if there is really any evidence to support the contention that the extra daylight will keep people from smashing in to one another, but so far the measure is being supported by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and (RAC).
This latest group has joined environmentalists, businesses, tourism firms, community charities, and health specialists in petitioning for the change to European time. Such a change would, however, mean that it will be darker in the morning, especially in Scotland since it is farther north and west that the other parts of Europe.
That leads one to wonder, if this discourse about more road accidents is true, if there just wouldn’t be more accidents in the morning.
Still, RoSPA insists that by going on European time, as many 200 serious injuries and 80 deaths could be avoided. Again, no studies, tests, or reports are offered in support of these claims. It is clear that clocks would still be turned back in the autumn and forward in the spring, so all one is effectively doing is moving light from morning to evening.
If darkness is the only factor that comes into play when claiming a reduction of accidents in better light, then it seems sure that such a switch, while beneficial for night-time drivers, would be detrimental for morning commuters.
