The risk of an accident will rise by 34% for the 5-8pm commute home in November following this weekend’s clock change.

A Brexit deal could see the UK move to British Summer Time permanently

Published as the prospect of a permanent British Summer Time comes to the fore in the event of a Brexit deal, the research by Insurethebox indicates that young drivers (aged 17-25) are particularly vulnerable to the October clock change back to Greenwich Mean Time due to having less experience on the roads.

The research also finds that male drivers are most at risk of an accident following the clock change with a 37% increase in accidents between the hours of 5pm and 8pm compared to female drivers who see a 30% increase in accidents.

Scotland, Lancashire/Yorkshire and the Northern counties have the highest increase in accidents after the clock change at 50%, 49% and 46% respectively in the hours between 5pm and 8pm. This compares to a 33% increase in London and 34% for the South.

The research comes as a report by a committee in the House of Lords says that a Brexit deal would see the UK obliged to implement a permanent Summer Time. It follows a decision from the European Commission that from April 2019 all EU clocks moved to summer time will remain and not be changed back in the October.

Should Britain leave the EU with a deal, the UK would have to carry out the change as the policy comes into effect during the two-year transition period.

However, a no-deal Brexit could bring issues with a time border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Any move will also split opinions between drivers. According to a recent AA survey, two-fifths (42%) of total UK drivers say that the UK should no longer put their clocks back and stick with British Summer Time permanently.

However, 45% of drivers in Scotland are against such a move, aligning with the thoughts of some Scottish dairy farmers as the sun wouldn’t rise until 10:00 in some areas.