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Drivers, Pedestrians Reminded to Play it Safe with More Traffic at Dusk

When many people drive home from work now, it will be in darkness for the first time since last spring.   Drivers will have to adjust to driving more frequently at dusk or in darkness with the switch back to standard time.

Jenny Robinson, Manager of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic, says pedestrians also have to be careful.  PennDOT stats show two-thirds of pedestrian fatalities happened in darkness last year.    

Robinson reminds pedestrians to cross at intersections or crosswalks, and stay visible. She says drivers need to watch for pedestrians and make sure the headlights on their vehicles are working properly and their windows are clean. She says drivers need to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, and be aware of pedestrians who are outside of crosswalks.

Drivers should also watch out for deer.  Robinson says deer crashes peak this time of year. She says deer often cross in groups, so if you see one, you should expect more may be crossing.

PennDOT data shows more than 3,100 people were injured and 43 died in the more than 14,000 deer-strike crashes reported to the agency between 2006 and 2010.

AAA also hopes you put your extra hour over the weekend to good use. This is Drowsy Driving Prevention Week and a recent study shows almost one third of drivers admitted to driving while they were so tired they had trouble staying awake.