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It’s everybody’s favorite time of year — the annual “spring forward” of daylight saving time! This Sunday, people all over the country will set their clocks ahead by one hour. In doing so, they’ll set themselves up for a summer of late sunsets. However, they’ll also set themselves up for something less fun: traffic accidents.

Every year around this time, accidents become a lot more common. After all, daylight savings interrupts people’s sleep schedules, making them less alert on the road. They’ll also have to drive in different conditions than they’re used to on their commutes. So, can you avoid getting into one of these accidents? Here’s how to keep yourself safe when we spring forward:

Try to get some sleep.

We know it’s hard to change up your sleep schedule, even by just an hour. However, it’s absolutely necessary that you only drive when you are well rested. If you don’t get enough rest, your reaction time will be slower, and you could even fall asleep at the wheel. Avoid those dangers by going to sleep a little earlier on Sunday night.

Check your headlights before daylight saving time.

One of the biggest dangers of the spring forward is that your commute will have a different level of light than usual. With the fall backward, this means it’ll be darker when you’re driving home. The opposite is true in the spring, when your drive to work will be much darker than usual, especially in northern states like Washington. Make sure your headlights are strong and in good working order before this Sunday. You need to see while you’re driving, and old, dim headlights are a recipe for disaster.

Beware of other drivers.

We know that you’re an excellent driver who will follow all of our driving tips. However, that doesn’t mean that everybody will be on board with our message. In fact, most people assume they will be fine when they drive, no matter what the circumstances are leading up to their getting on the road. So, some of the best advice we can offer to you during this time is to be careful around other drivers. You never know what someone else is going to do out on the road. Make sure to protect everyone by protecting yourself!