Everyone here at Plymouth Rock really enjoyed the extra hour of sleep we received this weekend thanks to the end of Daylight Savings Time. But now that the days are shorter, many more people will be on the road during dusk or in darkness, so drivers need to be extra cautious. Before you hit the road to go home this afternoon, consider the following to arrive at your destination safe and sound:

• Use your head(lights)- Make sure your headlights work and enlist the help of a local auto mechanic to ensure they are properly aligned–if you’re a Plymouth Rock customer, be sure to check out our Myles Saving Pass program for potential deals on your service. When driving towards oncoming traffic, avoid using your high beams as they can be distracting to other drivers and never look directly at oncoming headlights, as staring directly into headlights can blind you for up to five seconds while your eyes adjust.
• Keep It Clean- Clean your headlights and windshields regularly and check that your windshield wipers work properly. This will help you better see cars on the road- and ensures that they see you, too. The end of Daylight Savings Time is also a good reminder to clean and check the parts of your car that may get less attention: mirrors, windows and tail lights.
• Slow Down- In the dark, it is more difficult to see the road, judge other vehicles’ speeds and gauge the distances between your car and others. To avoid an accident, reduce your speed, increase your following distances, and obery the speed limit at all times. And remember, even perfect vision is reduced to 20/50 at night, so always wear glasses if you’re prescribed them and check with an eye doctor if you’re having any vision issues.
• Know Your Limits- Although the end to daylight savings time brought us an extra hour of sleep, it can take as long as two weeks for bodies to adjust to the change in our internal clocks. If you’re feeling drowsy, are blinking often, find yourself daydreaming or drift at all out of your lane, pull over as soon as possible to rest or take a 20-minute nap. A recent study by the National Sleep Foundation found 60 percent of people have driven while feeling sleepy and more than a third admit to having fallen asleep at the wheel in the past year, so you may also want to consider taking public transportation until your body adjusts to the change. 
• Watch For Pedestrians- Research from the American Journal of Public health found that pedestrian fatalities quadruple during the period just after Daylight Savings Time ends. Many pedestrians are still out during peak evening traffic hours but now it is dark during this time, so keep an eye out for people around you and take the time to proceed slowling in areas where pedestrians are likely to be, such as crowded parking lots, in school zones or near parks.