“Whatever you decide to do about the clock, I hope you will also consider actions to keep pedestrians and bicyclists safe, especially after sundown,” said David Harkey president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in written testimony submitted to the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

“If you are looking for concrete guidance on whether to keep the current twice-yearly time changes, … the evidence does not point definitively one way or another,” Harkey said. “What our study does reinforce is that pedestrians and bicyclists are at greater risk in low light conditions.”

Harkey asked the committee members to focus on solutions known to be effective in combatting that problem. These solutions include infrastructure improvements such as crosswalk lighting, rectangular rapid flashing beacons and pedestrian hybrid beacons. Lower speed limits and other measures to reduce vehicle speeds, such as speed safety cameras and road features that force drivers to slow down, could also play a key role.