Law Firm Encourages Wearing Bright Clothing During Longer Nights For #SaferJourneys Campaign

Serious injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell call for cyclists and pedestrians to wear bright clothing when travelling on the roads during the upcoming winter months as the clocks go back this Sunday.

According to the Department for Transport, there were 748 accidents in 2015 relating to pedestrians wearing dark clothing at night, 53 of which were fatal.

A total of 485 accidents involved cyclists wearing dark clothing, eight of which were fatal, and as we draw closer to winter weather conditions, last year, there were 1,789 accidents attributed to rain, sleet, snow or fog, of which 24 were fatal.

The changing of clocks on Sunday 30 October by one hour at 2am marks the end of Daylight Saving Time, which means brighter mornings and shorter evenings. The maximum duration of sunlight in the UK lies in June with 16 hours and 50 minutes, but this reduces to just seven hours and 40 minutes in December.

Serious injury experts at Irwin Mitchell regularly deal with the aftermath of road traffic collisions and work to secure justice and rehabilitation for people seriously injured on our roads.

Driving in the dark in winter comes with particular risks such as not seeing pedestrians or cyclists, and having to adhere to wintery weather conditions. Irwin Mitchell has created a road safety A-Z guide designed to raise awareness of any possible issues road users and pedestrians may face.

Sion Kingston, Serious Injury Partner, has worked on behalf of victims who have suffered a variety of injuries due to road traffic collisions. He said:

Expert Opinion

“Sadly we see far too regularly people whose lives have been changed as a consequence of road traffic collisions.

“Drivers losing concentration for a split-second or ignoring simple road safety advice can be extremely dangerous, especially when the weather worsens and it’s darker for longer periods of time.

“Hopefully families, schools and charity groups will all use the A-Z again this year to remind -children and all road users of safety during the darker nights, and ultimately lead to a decrease in avoidable incidents during the winter months.

“Our #SaferJourneys campaign reminds everyone how important it is to stay sensible and alert once the clocks go back. Dark and wintery conditions present possible dangers for pedestrians, runners, cyclists, car drivers and motorbike riders.

“Stay bright at night so you’re visible at night and make sure to follow our road safety advice.” Sion Kingston - Partner