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The Effects of Daylight Saving Time on Vehicle Crashes in Minnesota

Author

Listed:
  • Arthur Huang
  • David Levinson

    (Nexus (Networks, Economics, and Urban Systems) Research Group, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Minnesota)

Abstract

Daylight saving time (DST), implemented as an energy saving policy, impacts many other aspects of life; one is road safety. Based on vehicle crash data in Minnesota from 2001 to 2007, this paper evaluates long- and short-term effects of DST on daily vehicle crashes. To provide evidence to explain the causes of more/fewer crashes in DST, we examine the impact of DST on crashes in four periods of a day: 3 am-9 am, 9 am-3 pm, 3 pm-9 pm, 9 pm-12 pm. The effects of risk and exposure to traffic are also separated. Our statistical models not only include weather conditions and dummy variables for days in DST as independent variables, but also consider traffic volumes on major roads in different periods of a day. Our major finding is that the short-term effect of DST on crashes on the morning of the first DST is not statistically significant. Moreover, it is interesting to notice that while DST per se is associated with fewer crashes during dusk, this is in part offset because it is also associated with more traffic on roads (and hence more crashes). Our path analysis shows that overall DST reduces crashes.

Suggested Citation

  • Arthur Huang & David Levinson, 2008. "The Effects of Daylight Saving Time on Vehicle Crashes in Minnesota," Working Papers 201008, University of Minnesota: Nexus Research Group.
    • Handle: RePEc:nex:wpaper:daylightsavingstime
    as

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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/11299/180000
    File Function: first version, 2008
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sood Neeraj & Ghosh Arkadipta, 2007. "The Short and Long Run Effects of Daylight Saving Time on Fatal Automobile Crashes," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 7(1), pages 1-22, February.
    2. Ferguson, S.A. & Preusser, D.F. & Lund, A.K. & Zador, P.L. & Ulmer, R.G., 1995. "Daylight saving time and motor vehicle crashes: The reduction in pedestrian and vehicle occupant fatalities," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 85(1), pages 92-96.
    3. J. Broughton & M. Hazelton & M. Stone, 1999. "Influence of light level on the incidence of road casualties and the predicted effect of changing ‘summertime’," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 162(2), pages 137-175.
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    Cited by:

    1. Chi, Guangqing & Porter, Jeremy R. & Cosby, Arthur G. & Levinson, David, 2013. "The impact of gasoline price changes on traffic safety: a time geography explanation," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 1-11.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    daylight saving time; vehicle crashes; exposure; fatal crashes; traffic volume; Minnesota;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R41 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - Transportation: Demand, Supply, and Congestion; Travel Time; Safety and Accidents; Transportation Noise
    • R48 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - Government Pricing and Policy
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement

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