On Sunday 25 October the clocks went back an hour. Mornings are lighter, but the afternoon rush hour now falls after dark. Marshall Motor Group analysed Department for Transport (DfT) data on police-reported personal-injury collisions in Great Britain. It compared the 21 days before and the 21 days after the autumn clock change in 2022–2025.
- Between 4pm and 7pm there were 23.5% more collisions: 6,580 after the clock change compared with 5,326 before it.
- The worst hour is 5pm–6pm – up 45.3% (from 1,795 to 2,609 collisions).
- Outside 4pm–7pm the number of collisions barely changed (down 0.1%).
- The rise repeats every year: 25.6% in 2022, 21.1% in 2023, 22.4% in 2024 and 25.1% in 2025.
- In England an increase was recorded in every region, highest in the North West (37.6%), Yorkshire and the Humber (34.3%) and the West Midlands (33.3%).
- 40 of the 44 police force areas in Great Britain recorded an increase.
Lights are a problem too. Research by cinch, based on Freedom of Information data, found more than 19 million lighting-related defects in failed MOT tests from 2020 to August 2025. About 7.2 million concerned lights not working, and more than a million headlights aimed too low.
What it means for you
A route you know by heart looks different after dark: pedestrians, cyclists and children walking home from school are harder to see, and there is less time to react. This applies especially to van drivers, couriers and shift workers. The risk is highest in the first weeks after the clock change.
Our assessment
Four years of data show the same pattern, so this is no accident. The simplest steps make the biggest difference: working, clean lights and slower driving at rush hour. Businesses with fleets should check the lights on every vehicle now – a broken bulb is also a reason to fail the MOT.
What to do
- Check all your car’s lights and clean the windows and headlight lenses. You can check your MOT due date on GOV.UK – MOT history.
- Refresh your knowledge of the rules on driving in the dark and in poor visibility in the Highway Code.
- Give children walking to and from school reflective items or bright clothing – advice is available from THINK!.
- Before setting off, check the Met Office warnings – rain and fog after dark reduce visibility even further.
Source: Insurance Edge – “Clocks Go Back and Rush Hour Motor Accident Risk Increases”, Marshall Motor Group analysis of DfT data (22.10.2026).
We assess factual corrections and substantive responses. Verified changes are reflected in our reporting.
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