Last night, most of the nation set their clocks back one hour. Daylight saving time ended on Sunday. That means the sun will now be setting an hour earlier. Less sunlight does not mean outdoor activities have to end, rather that more safety precautions should be taken.
Those most at risk tend to be cyclists.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 846 bicyclists were killed in traffic crashes in 2019. They occurred most often between 6pm and 9pm.
Norte Donor Relations Specialist Wes Sovin says visibility is most important when riding after dusk.
“As it gets darker, it doesn’t mean you have to put your bikes away,” Sovin said. “The biggest thing is make sure you have a light on the front of your bike and a light on the back of your bike, It’s actually a law that you have to have lights on your bike to ride at night.”
Most lights and reflectors are small and inexpensive to purchase. For young children, it’s also important to ride in groups so that cars will see them better.
“If you can find kind of a buddy system, even if it’s two kids, it’s always good to have somebody to stick around with and look out for you, so buddy system while riding anytime is good, but especially at night,” Sovin said.
If you’re going to ride by the road, you have to dress the part too. Pro racer Cole Paton placed first in the annual Iceman Cometh Challenge competition yesterday. He says neon clothing is the best way to go.
“I think first and foremost, wearing bright clothing, I get to wear bright orange, but also having reflective clothing is really important,” Paton said, gesturing to his uniform.
He says that taking these steps will help ensure your own safety this fall.
“We’re all sharing the road with cars, so if we can be part of the solution and maintain our safe safety measures, I think it’s really important for everyone to coexist,” Paton said.
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