NTL Record

Title Spectral Analysis of the Effects of Daylight Saving Time on Motor Vehicle Fatal Traffic Accidents
Record ID 50586
Personal Name
Creator
Meyerhoff, Norman J.
Source 140p. in various pagings
Corporate Creator John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.)
Corporate
Contributor
United States. Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Publisher United States. Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Publication Date 19770401
Language English
Abstract This report shows that Daylight Saving Time (DST) reduces the number of persons killed in motor vehicle fatal traffic accidents by about one percent. This estimate is based on a spectral (Fourier) analysis of these fatalities which utilizes a filtering technique to identify the part of the fatality frequency spectrum which is sensitive to DST while suppressing all other frequencies. To establish a cause/effect relationship between DST and changes in the filtered fatality time series, the changes are measured in two ways: (1) Across DST transitions and (2) for corresponding dates in years with and without DST. Certain statistical criteria are then applied to these measurements in order to confirm the existence of a DST effect on accidents and fatalities.
Rosap ID dot:11963
Rosap URL https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/11963
TRT Terms Crash rates; Traffic crashes; Traffic safety; Fatalities; Injuries; Fourier analysis; Statistical analysis; Statistics; Correlation analysis; Daylight saving time; Daylight; Time; Surveys
General Subjects Causes; Mortality; Motor vehicle accidents
Classification AGR - SAFETY AND SECURITY - SAFETY AND SECURITY;
NTL - SAFETY AND SECURITY - SAFETY AND SECURITY;
NTL - SAFETY AND SECURITY - Highway Safety;
NTL - SAFETY AND SECURITY - Accidents
Geographical
Coverage
United States
Report Number DOT-TSC-NHTSA-77-2; DOT-HS-802-324
Resource type Tech Report
URL https://ntlrepository.blob.core.windows.net/lib/50000/50500/50586/DOT-TSC-NHTSA-77-02.pdf
Format PDF
Database NTL Digital Repository