City urges drivers to be alert as clocks ‘fall back’ Sunday to end Daylight Saving Time
Posted November 3, 2022 11:42 am.
Last Updated November 3, 2022 1:41 pm.
Daylight Saving Time is coming to an end and darkness will start an hour earlier after this weekend.
This Sunday, the clocks will fall back one hour at 2 a.m.
The City of Toronto is urging drivers to stay alert as there will be fewer daylight hours and reduced visibility for the commute home.
In Toronto alone, pedestrian collisions increase by more than 30 per cent between November to March in the evening.
The City is launching a public education campaign to draw attention to the increased risks people face when walking and cycling and to remind drivers to be aware of other road users.
Billboards, transit shelters, radio, print and social media ads will be displayed around the city until Dec. 18 and in high-volume parking garages.
Some of the tips for drivers include:
• When driving, slow down, turn slowly and look for other road users. Always stay alert.
• Make sure vehicle headlights and signal lights are functioning properly.
• Obey speed limits and approach all crosswalks, intersections and transit stops with caution.
• Give yourself plenty of time to get wherever you are going and plan your route in advance.
The time change has not been without critcism, with one of the reasons being the increase in collisions.
A private members bill introduced in 2020 at Queen’s Park called for the elimination of the yearly time change, leaving Ontario’s clocks permanently in daylight saving time.
The bill was unanimously passed by MPPs and became law in November 2020. But, the change would only come into effect if the New York state and Québec governments passed similar legislation.
Most of Canada is on Daylight Saving Time (DST) — only parts of Saskatchewan and areas in British Columbia remain on Standard Time (ST) year-round. Yukon made DST permanent in 2020.
With files from Lucas Casaletto
