NEW YORK, NY March 10, 2008 —WNYC's Kathleen Horan reports that moving the clocks forward one hour can really make a difference on the highways.

Alarm clocks are going off earlier than usual throughout the city, and the world. More than 70 countries observe Daylight Saving Time. But, what most people feel is the loss of shut-eye.

That sounds fairly innocuous, but not if you plan to drive. Studies show that traffic fatalities jump 7 percent right after the clocks change.

Traffic expert Sam Schwartz says the surge in accident rates is a big deal - in the United States, about 805 people die in car crashes a week. But, this week, that number is expected to go up by nearly 100.

SCHWARTZ: The cumulative effect is we are more drowsy at the wheel. We are less attentive and we are having more crashes.

REPORTER: Schwartz says the spike in accidents usually lasts until Friday.

If people can't go to bed earlier, he recommends an extra cup of coffee before getting behind the wheel and a little extra caution, especially while it's still dark.

For WNYC, I'm Kathleen Horan.