IBC says think home and road safety this Daylight Saving Time

VANCOUVER, March 8, 2013 /CNW/ - Daylight Saving Time is upon most Canadians this weekend which takes effect at 2:00 am this Sunday, March 10, 2013. Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) wants to remind you to take your time to adjust as we "spring forward" keeping home and road safety top of mind.

It's a good idea to get into the habit of checking around your home for possible safety risks each time you adjust your clocks to Daylight Saving Time.

Fact: Data from the Office of the B.C. Fire Commissioner shows that in 11,000 residential fires in B.C. from 2006 to 2011, nearly 70 per cent of the fire scenes examined either had no smoke alarm or a smoke alarm that was not working.

During Daylight Saving Time:

Look for possible home safety risks and follow these home safety tips to protect your family:

• Replace batteries in smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, once the batteries are replaced, test these safety devices to ensure they work properly.
• Prepare or restock an emergency supply kit for your home.
• Prepare or restock an emergency supply kit for your vehicle.
• Check home, yard and shed for hazardous materials and carefully discard any that are outdated, no longer used, or in poor condition. In doing so, also ensure that you are following any by-law or regulations that might be in place in your community and province.

As we lose an hour of sleep, adjusting to the time switch in spring can be challenging. The lack of sleep and changes you have to make to your schedule can cause fatigue and drowsiness.  This is known as fatigue impairment and is dangerous when driving.

Fact : A 2007 survey found that about 60% of Canadian drivers admitted that they occasionally drove while fatigued and 15% of respondents admitted that they had fallen asleep while driving during the past year (Vanlaar et al., 2008).

Be extra cautious when driving with the following road safety tips:

• Like alcohol, driver fatigue slows reaction time, decreases awareness, impairs judgment and increases the risk of crashing.
• Always be sure to start your trip well rested, plan to take breaks every two hours, and avoid driving between 1 a.m. and 7 a.m., when your body naturally craves sleep. Most importantly, if you feel tired, don't drive.
• If you notice any of the following symptoms, do the only thing that will stop driver fatigue: Pull off the road to a safe spot and have a rest.
• If you're driving tired, you're driving impaired. Find out if you're most at risk of fatigue impairment.

About Insurance Bureau of Canada

Insurance Bureau of Canada is the national industry association representing Canada's private home, car and business insurers. Its member companies represent 90% of the property and casualty (P&C) insurance market in Canada. The P&C insurance industry employs over 115,000 Canadians, pays more than $7 billion in taxes to the federal, provincial and municipal governments, and has a total premium base of $44 billion.

To view media releases and other information, visit the media section of IBC's website at www.ibc.ca, for IBC on Twitter follow @insurancebureau or like us on Facebook.

If you require more information, IBC spokespeople are available to discuss the details in this media release.

SOURCE: INSURANCE BUREAU OF CANADA

To schedule an interview, please contact:

Helen Lialias
Media Relations Officer
Insurance Bureau of Canada
416-362-2031 ext. 4312
[email protected]