Daylight saving time ends Nov 1: pedestrian crash risk after dark and how auto insurance responds

Short answer: In 2026, daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. local time on Sunday, November 1. Clocks fall back one hour, and NIST notes the switch shifts an hour of daylight from the evening to the morning. Hawaii and most of Arizona don't observe DST, so their clocks don't change (NIST daylight saving time rules). That darker evening commute matters for anyone on foot. NHTSA's 2023 fact sheet counts 7,314 pedestrians killed. 77% of those deaths happened in the dark, and in the fall months (September–November) the most common three-hour window was 6 to 8:59 p.m., with 32% of fall pedestrian deaths (NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts: Pedestrians, 2023 data). If a driver hits you while you're walking, several coverages can pay. The at-fault driver's bodily injury liability covers injuries they cause to others. Your own medical payments coverage can also pay when you're hurt walking or biking. PIP adds lost wages in no-fault states, and uninsured motorist coverage helps when the driver has no insurance or flees (NAIC auto insurance guide; Texas Department of Insurance auto guide).

This page applies nationwide. It uses federal crash data and sample insurance-regulator guidance, checked in October 2026. Your state's traffic code and auto insurance rules decide the details.

What changes on November 1

Federal timekeeping rules put the end of DST on the first Sunday of November at 2:00 a.m. At that moment, 2 a.m. becomes 1 a.m. and the hour repeats (NIST). The shift itself lasts one night, but afternoons stay darker all winter. Many people who walked home, to a bus stop, or with a dog in daylight in October will do the same trip in darkness in November.

The national numbers explain why that matters:

Source: NHTSA DOT HS 813 727. NHTSA's pedestrian safety page reports 7,080 pedestrian deaths and more than 71,000 injuries in 2024, or one death every 74 minutes (NHTSA pedestrian safety). Rates differ widely by state. In 2023, NHTSA's state table showed New Mexico, Arizona and South Carolina with the highest pedestrian fatality rates per 100,000 residents, against a national rate of 2.18 (NHTSA 2023 data, Table 7).

Practical habits for the darker months

On foot. NHTSA's advice: use sidewalks, and where there are none, walk facing traffic and as far from it as you can. Cross at crosswalks or intersections. If neither is available, pick a well-lit spot and wait for a gap long enough to cross. Make eye contact with drivers before you step out. At night, wear bright clothing and reflective materials, or carry a flashlight (NHTSA pedestrian safety; NHTSA 2023 fact sheet safety reminders).

Behind the wheel. NHTSA tells drivers to slow down, take extra care at night and in bad weather when pedestrians are harder to see, yield at crosswalks, and never pass a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk. Someone may be crossing where you can't see them. Look carefully before backing out of driveways and parking spaces (NHTSA). The first evening rush after the time change is a good week to leave a few minutes early.

Kids and the Halloween weekend. In 2026, Halloween falls on Saturday, October 31, the night before clocks fall back. NHTSA says children under 10 shouldn't cross streets alone (NHTSA). Our Halloween trick-or-treat liability guide covers the homeowner side of that night.

Who pays when a pedestrian is hit

Several auto coverages can apply at once. In which order they pay depends on your state and your policy.

1. The driver's bodily injury liability. NAIC describes it as coverage for injuries you cause to someone else. Most states require it (NAIC auto guide). An injured pedestrian usually claims against the at-fault driver's policy, up to its limits.
2. The pedestrian's own medical payments coverage. The Texas Department of Insurance explains that medical payments coverage pays your medical bills and also pays if you're hurt while riding in someone else's car or while walking or biking (TDI auto guide). So a household car policy can help a family member who doesn't own a car.
3. Personal injury protection (PIP). NAIC notes PIP is available in "no-fault" states and can also cover lost wages and funeral costs. In a no-fault state, your own insurer pays your injuries regardless of fault (NAIC). TDI adds that PIP pays medical bills plus nonmedical costs like lost wages (TDI). Whether PIP follows you as a pedestrian, and who counts as an insured, is set by each state's law and policy forms. See our PIP and no-fault states guide.
4. Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM). NAIC says uninsured motorist coverage reimburses you if an uninsured or hit-and-run driver hits you, and underinsured coverage pays when the at-fault driver lacks enough insurance (NAIC). TDI likewise says UM/UIM pays in a hit-and-run (TDI). With nearly a quarter of pedestrian deaths involving hit-and-run drivers, this coverage matters. Our UM/UIM explainer and hit-and-run reporting deadlines by state cover the details.
5. Health insurance may pay medical bills first or fill gaps, depending on coordination-of-benefits rules. TDI notes your auto insurer may use PIP, medical payments or UM/UIM coverage to pay medical costs the other driver's limits don't cover (TDI).

If you're the driver, your bodily injury liability limits are the cap on what your insurer pays for a pedestrian's injuries. Anything above that can come back to you. That's one reason people raise liability limits or add an umbrella policy before the dark-commute season.

After a crash: steps that protect a claim

• Call 911 for injuries and ask for a police report. Write down the officer's name and the report number.
• Get the driver's name, insurer, policy number and plate. If the driver leaves, note the plate, the vehicle and the direction it went, and report it to police right away.
• Photograph the scene, the lighting, any crosswalk, and your clothing. Collect witness contacts.
• Notify your own auto insurer promptly even if you weren't driving. Medical payments, PIP and UM claims are made under your policy and have notice and proof requirements.
• Keep medical bills, wage-loss records and receipts in one folder.

For winter-road claims involving vehicles only, see our icy roads and winter driving claims guide. For links to each state's regulator, see the state insurance rules hub.

Frequently asked questions

Alishahi Insurance · 439 N Canon Dr, Penthouse, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 · (877) 711-4545 · CA License #4348151. General information only. This isn't legal, tax or financial advice or a coverage determination. Coverage depends on policy language and underwriting, and rules vary by state.