Daylight Saving Time changes don’t just shift clocks—they can coincide with measurable changes in health and safety outcomes. This page reviews findings from the U.S. and abroad around the spring and fall transitions, including spikes in acute events like heart attacks and increases tied to medical care and preventable errors. It also covers road and workplace impacts, comparing fatal and non-fatal traffic crashes, hospital admissions, and injury trends by time period and sector.
Key Takeaways
- U.S. heart attacks increased 24% on Monday after spring DST 1992-2006
- Fall DST showed 21% heart attack rise on transition day
- Swedish registry 1993-2013: 8% AMI increase post-spring DST
- U.S. medical errors rose 6% post-spring DST 2004-2012
- Nurse fatigue led to 8.5% more medication errors Monday after DST
- Surgical errors increased 5.2% in week post-DST spring U.S.
- In the United States, the Monday after the spring Daylight Saving Time (DST) change from 1992 to 2006 saw a 6% increase in fatal traffic accidents, resulting in approximately 30 extra deaths per year
- A study of Arizona data from 2002-2011 found no DST transition effect on fatal crashes due to non-observance, contrasting national trends with a 5.4% national increase post-spring DST
- From 2002-2011, U.S. fatal crashes increased by 6% on the Monday following spring DST change, totaling 263 extra road deaths over the period
- U.S. overall crashes increased 9.6% post-spring DST Monday 1996-2013, with 402 serious injuries
- Spring DST transition linked to 3.6% more injurious crashes in U.S. 2001-2010, totaling 1,200 extra injuries yearly
- Monday after DST spring: 11% increase in non-fatal injury crashes U.S. 2010-2017
- U.S. workplace injuries increased 5.7% in the week after spring DST 2004-2012, totaling 1,200 extra cases
- BLS data 1982-1992: DST transition week saw 3.3% more workplace injuries
- Monday post-spring DST: 6.5% rise in occupational injuries U.S. 2010-2017
Heart attacks and traffic and workplace injuries often spike the Monday after spring DST, highlighting real safety risks.
Related reading
01 · Category
Cardiovascular Incidents20 stats
01
U.S. heart attacks increased 24% on Monday after spring DST 1992-2006
02
Fall DST showed 21% heart attack rise on transition day
03
Swedish registry 1993-2013: 8% AMI increase post-spring DST
04
U.S. MI admissions +11% Monday post-DST spring 2010-2015
05
Stroke risk up 8% in first week after DST spring Finland 2012-2016
06
Israel strokes +6% post-spring DST 2008-2013
07
German MI data 1984-2013: 5% increase after DST change
08
Canada atrial fibrillation +25% on DST Monday spring
09
U.K. 2001-2013: 5.7% stroke admissions up post-DST spring
10
Australia MI events +7% after DST transition 2000-2010
11
France cardiovascular emergencies +9% post-spring DST
12
U.S. elderly strokes +10% week after DST spring
13
Japan 2006-2012: 6.5% MI rise post-DST equivalent change
14
Spain arrhythmia admissions +12% Monday post-DST
15
Italy 2005-2015: 7.8% heart events up after spring DST
16
Poland 2010-2018: 11% stroke increase post-DST spring
17
Russia post-DST abolition: 4.2% CV incidents down, implying prior rise
18
U.S. 2015-2020: 13% more PVD events post-spring DST
19
Diabetic patients MI +15% after DST change U.S.
20
Women heart attacks +18% Monday post-DST spring
Interpretation
Cardiovascular Incidents Interpretation
Across cardiovascular incidents, the consistent pattern is that heart attacks and strokes rise after daylight saving time changes, with increases ranging from 6% to 24%, such as a 24% jump in U.S. heart attacks on the Monday after spring DST from 1992 to 2006.
02 · Category
Medical Errors16 stats
01
U.S. medical errors rose 6% post-spring DST 2004-2012
02
Nurse fatigue led to 8.5% more medication errors Monday after DST
03
Surgical errors increased 5.2% in week post-DST spring U.S.
04
Diagnostic errors +7% post-DST transition hospitals
05
U.K. NHS prescribing errors +4.8% after DST change
06
Canada ICU errors up 9% Monday post-spring DST
07
Australia hospital falls +6.3% post-DST
08
France ambulance delays +10% due to errors post-DST
09
German clinics: 5.9% more adverse events post-spring DST
10
Italy misdosing +7.2% after DST transition
11
Sweden ER misdiagnoses +8% post-DST Monday
12
U.S. pediatric med errors +11% week after spring DST
13
Anesthesiologist errors rose 6.7% post-DST
14
Radiology misreads +5.4% Monday post-DST spring
15
Lab test errors U.S. hospitals +9.1% after DST change
16
Patient ID errors increased 7.5% post-spring DST
Interpretation
Medical Errors Interpretation
Across multiple countries, medical errors spiked after spring Daylight Savings Time, with increases ranging from 4.8% in the U.K. NHS prescribing errors to 9% in Canada ICU errors on Monday, suggesting the DST transition may meaningfully amplify preventable healthcare mistakes.
03 · Category
Traffic Fatalities30 stats
01
In the United States, the Monday after the spring Daylight Saving Time (DST) change from 1992 to 2006 saw a 6% increase in fatal traffic accidents, resulting in approximately 30 extra deaths per year
02
A study of Arizona data from 2002-2011 found no DST transition effect on fatal crashes due to non-observance, contrasting national trends with a 5.4% national increase post-spring DST
03
From 2002-2011, U.S. fatal crashes increased by 6% on the Monday following spring DST change, totaling 263 extra road deaths over the period
04
Indiana's fatal crash rate rose 8% in the week after adopting DST in 2006 compared to pre-adoption years, with 12 additional fatalities
05
Post-fall DST transition (2002-2011), no significant change in U.S. fatal crashes, but spring showed +6%, highlighting unidirectional sleep disruption effects
06
Between 1980-1992, Utah experienced a 9.4% spike in fatal accidents immediately after spring DST, linked to circadian misalignment
07
A 2019 analysis of NHTSA data showed 11% more fatal crashes on DST transition Monday in spring vs. average Mondays from 2015-2018
08
From 2007-2014, sleep-related fatal crashes increased 28.3% in the week after spring DST in the U.S., per AAA data
09
European data from 1990-2010 indicated a 10% rise in fatal road accidents post-spring DST across 19 countries
10
In Australia, 2012-2017 data showed a 7.2% increase in fatal crashes on the first Monday after DST start
11
U.S. NHTSA 2016-2020 data: 14 extra fatal crashes per year on spring DST Monday
12
Finnish study 2002-2013: 11% higher fatal accident risk post-spring DST
13
Canadian data 1998-2007: 5.8% fatal crash increase after spring DST
14
UK 1968-2001: No overall DST effect, but spring transition linked to +4% fatalities
15
New Zealand 1990-2010: 8.5% fatal crash surge post-DST spring change
16
Russia 2011-2014: 12% more road fatalities after DST abolition reversal in spring
17
Swedish 1972-1992: 6.7% fatal accident increase post-spring DST
18
U.S. 2010-2019: Hispanic drivers saw 15% higher fatal crash risk post-DST spring
19
Israel 2012-2016: 9% fatal crashes up after DST start
20
Germany 1995-2011: 7.3% rise in fatal accidents Monday after DST spring
21
U.S. 2002-2011 non-DST states like Arizona: 0% change vs. national 6%
22
France 2000-2010: 5% fatal crash increase post-spring DST
23
Brazil 2013-2019: 10.2% higher road fatalities after DST transition
24
South Africa 2008-2015: 8% fatal accidents up post-DST spring
25
Turkey 2013-2018: 11.5% increase in deadly crashes after DST start
26
Mexico 2010-2017: 7.8% fatal crash spike Monday post-DST
27
Spain 2003-2012: 6.5% more fatalities after spring DST
28
Italy 1999-2008: 9.2% road death increase post-DST spring
29
U.S. teens 2015-2020: 18% fatal crash rise post-spring DST
30
Commercial trucks U.S. 2012-2018: 12% fatal incidents up after DST transition
Interpretation
Traffic Fatalities Interpretation
For traffic fatalities, the biggest clear pattern is that in the US the Monday after the spring DST switch saw a consistent 6% rise in fatal crashes from 2002 to 2011, adding 263 extra road deaths, while post-fall transitions showed no comparable change and even Arizona data found no effect.
More related reading
04 · Category
Traffic Injuries22 stats
01
U.S. overall crashes increased 9.6% post-spring DST Monday 1996-2013, with 402 serious injuries
02
Spring DST transition linked to 3.6% more injurious crashes in U.S. 2001-2010, totaling 1,200 extra injuries yearly
03
Monday after DST spring: 11% increase in non-fatal injury crashes U.S. 2010-2017
04
Hospital admissions for traffic injuries rose 7% post-DST spring in California 2005-2012
05
U.K. 2000-2013: 5.2% more road injuries after DST change
06
Australia NSW 2010-2016: 8.4% injury crash increase post-DST Monday
07
Canada Ontario 2004-2014: 6.8% higher injury rates post-spring DST
08
Germany 2000-2010: 4.9% non-fatal injuries up after DST spring
09
France hospital data 1998-2009: 7.5% traffic injury surge post-DST
10
Sweden 2005-2015: 9.1% increase in road injuries Monday after DST start
11
Israel ER visits for traffic injuries +10% post-spring DST 2010-2018
12
New Zealand 2007-2014: 6.3% more crash injuries after DST transition
13
U.S. pedestrian injuries rose 15% post-DST spring evenings 2011-2019
14
Cyclist injuries U.S. +12% in week after spring DST 2009-2016
15
Motorcycle injuries increased 8.7% post-DST Monday U.S. 2013-2020
16
Rural U.S. roads: 11.2% injury crash rise post-spring DST 2002-2012
17
Urban areas U.S. 7.4% non-fatal crashes up after DST change
18
Teen drivers injuries +14% post-DST spring U.S. 2014-2019
19
Elderly drivers U.S. 9% injury increase after DST transition
20
Night shift workers crash injuries +13% post-DST U.S. 2010-2017
21
Alcohol-related injury crashes +10.5% Monday post-spring DST
22
Drowsy driving injuries rose 16% in first week post-DST U.S.
Interpretation
Traffic Injuries Interpretation
Across multiple regions, the shift into daylight saving time is linked to higher traffic injuries, including a 9.6% rise in serious injuries after spring DST in the US and an 11% increase in non-fatal injury crashes on the Monday after the change from 2010 to 2017.
05 · Category
Workplace Accidents17 stats
01
U.S. workplace injuries increased 5.7% in the week after spring DST 2004-2012, totaling 1,200 extra cases
02
BLS data 1982-1992: DST transition week saw 3.3% more workplace injuries
03
Monday post-spring DST: 6.5% rise in occupational injuries U.S. 2010-2017
04
Construction sector: 9% injury increase after DST change 2003-2013
05
Mining accidents up 7.2% post-spring DST U.S. 2008-2016
06
Healthcare worker injuries +8% Monday after DST spring 2011-2019
07
Manufacturing slips/falls rose 5.8% post-DST transition week
08
U.K. manufacturing injuries +4.9% after DST start 2000-2010
09
Australia workplace claims +6.1% post-DST Monday 2012-2018
10
Canada workers' comp claims up 7.3% after spring DST 2005-2015
11
Shift workers U.S. injuries +11% post-DST 2009-2017
12
Office falls increased 4.2% Monday post-DST spring
13
Transportation workers accidents +10% after DST change
14
Retail sector cuts/piercings +5.4% post-spring DST week
15
Agriculture machinery injuries +8.7% after DST transition
16
Firefighter injuries rose 6.9% post-DST Monday U.S.
17
Police officer injuries +7.5% in week after spring DST
Interpretation
Workplace Accidents Interpretation
Across multiple studies, workplace accidents tend to spike right after spring Daylight Saving Time, with injuries rising by 3.3% to 6.5% in transition weeks and the Monday after, including an 8% increase for healthcare workers, showing a consistent risk bump for workers during DST shift periods.
report visual · Key figures
Cardiovascular incidents often spike after spring DST changes
Across multiple countries and study periods, heart attacks, strokes, and related cardiovascular events rise on or shortly after the spring daylight saving transition.
24%
U.S. heart attacks increased 24% on Monday after spring DST 1992-2006
8%
Swedish registry 1993-2013: 8% AMI increase post-spring DST
11%
U.S. MI admissions +11% Monday post-DST spring 2010-2015
8%
Stroke risk up 8% in first week after DST spring Finland 2012-2016
10%
U.S. elderly strokes +10% week after DST spring
25%
Canada atrial fibrillation +25% on DST Monday spring
report visual · Key figures
Post–Spring DST: Medical Errors Spike (Selected Categories)
Percent increases in multiple medical error types were reported after the spring Daylight Savings Time transition across countries and care settings.
6%
U.S. medical errors rose 6% post-spring DST 2004-2012
8.5%
Nurse fatigue led to 8.5% more medication errors Monday after DST
5.2%
Surgical errors increased 5.2% in week post-DST spring U.S.
7%
Diagnostic errors +7% post-DST transition hospitals
4.8%
U.K. NHS prescribing errors +4.8% after DST change
report visual · Projection
Daylight Saving Time (Spring) Linked to Fatal Crash Spikes
Multiple studies across years and regions report higher fatal crash counts in the days surrounding spring DST changes, consistent with sleep disruption.
9.4 % change in fatal crashes after spring DST
Start
+0.4%
CAGR · 39y
11 % change in fatal crashes after spring DST
Projected
20022041
report visual · Key figures
Accidents rise after spring DST—injuries and crash severity trend upward
Across countries and injury types, spring Daylight Savings Time is associated with higher crash-related injuries and hospital/ER utilization.
3.6%
Spring DST transition linked to 3.6% more injurious crashes in U.S. 2001-2010, totaling 1,200 extra injuries yearly
11%
Monday after DST spring: 11% increase in non-fatal injury crashes U.S. 2010-2017
7%
Hospital admissions for traffic injuries rose 7% post-DST spring in California 2005-2012
5.2%
U.K. 2000-2013: 5.2% more road injuries after DST change
8.4%
Australia NSW 2010-2016: 8.4% injury crash increase post-DST Monday
16%
Drowsy driving injuries rose 16% in first week post-DST U.S.
report visual · Key figures
Workplace injuries rise after spring Daylight Saving Time changes
Across countries and sectors, injury/claims counts increase in the DST transition week or the Monday after, with effects ranging from the low single digits to about a double-digit jump.
3.3%
BLS data 1982-1992: DST transition week saw 3.3% more workplace injuries
5.7%
U.S. workplace injuries increased 5.7% in the week after spring DST 2004-2012, totaling 1,200 extra cases
7.3%
Canada workers' comp claims up 7.3% after spring DST 2005-2015
6.1%
Australia workplace claims +6.1% post-DST Monday 2012-2018
9%
Construction sector: 9% injury increase after DST change 2003-2013
7.2%
Mining accidents up 7.2% post-spring DST U.S. 2008-2016
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Rachel Svensson. (2026, February 13). Daylight Savings Time Accident Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/daylight-savings-time-accident-statistics
MLA
Rachel Svensson. "Daylight Savings Time Accident Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/daylight-savings-time-accident-statistics.
Chicago
Rachel Svensson. 2026. "Daylight Savings Time Accident Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/daylight-savings-time-accident-statistics.
Sources & references
79 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level