The city is warning drivers to be extra vigilant for pedestrians when daylight saving time ends this Sunday, Nov. 2, and darkness falls earlier across the Big Apple.
The NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) and the NYPD announced the return of the city’s Dusk and Darkness campaign, warning New Yorkers of heightened dangers to pedestrians when clocks “fall back” one hour early on Sunday morning.
According to the DOT, as clocks fall back an hour this weekend, hours near sunset become the most dangerous time of year for pedestrians. During fall evenings, rush hour occurs at a time when sunlight and visibility are dramatically and suddenly reduced, leading to the highest fatal crash rates of the calendar year, officials said.
For example, sunset in New York City on Oct. 27 is 5:58 p.m. Eastern daylight time. Sunset in New York City one week later, on Monday, Nov. 3, will be 4:50 p.m. Eastern standard time. After the clocks fall back, New York won’t see a sunset time after 5 p.m. until mid-January 2026.
As part of the Dusk and Darkness effort, street teams from Vision Zero, the city’s ongoing effort to increase traffic safety, will be holding community engagement efforts at high-visibility locations across the five boroughs to remind commuters of the increased dangers of traffic crashes during the fall evening and overnight hours.
“When the sun goes down, risks for pedestrians go up, and as the sun sets earlier during the late fall, our Dusk and Darkness campaign is about encouraging all drivers to slow down, turn carefully, and always remain vigilant when behind the wheel,” NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said. “With NYPD officers going after distracted driving and our automated cameras getting drivers to stop at red lights and slow down, drivers need to do their part as well as the sun sets earlier.”
There will also be more police enforcement on the roads starting this week. The NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) will visit areas frequented by for-hire vehicle drivers to remind them of the importance of using extra caution during low-visibility periods, including by driving 25 miles per hour unless otherwise posted. TLC will also reiterate this message to drivers and passengers via social media.
“When it’s sunset, change your mindset,” David Do, TLC commissioner and chair, said. “Be extra vigilant when it comes to safety on the roads at this time of year and this time of day. Years of data and individual tragedies tell us that this is the time when pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers are most at risk.”
