We may spring ahead or fall back, but wildlife run on their own internal clocks. So how do these disruptions to our sleep schedule impact deer and other wildlife?
Deer, and many other species, are crepuscular. That means they are not very active at midday or at night, but do the most moving around at dawn and dusk. When we fall back, the changing human clocks put evening drive time right at dusk when animals are harder to see and more active. Add that to breeding seasons and migrations and you have a recipe for more deer-car collisions. In fact, collisions go up by almost 16% in the weeks after the change back to regular time. According to one study, switching to permanent daylight savings could prevent up to 36,500 deer collisions each year. So make sure to drive well rested and ready to keep your eyes peeled out on the road.
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