It’s almost time to set those clocks back an hour to “standard time”. With the end of Daylight Saving Time, the risk of accidents from driving in the dark goes up. People who ride bikes or walk to and from school or work could be doing so in the dark thanks to the time change. The Michigan Department of Transportation says to be on the lookout for pedestrians and cyclists and to always give them at least a 3-foot distance when passing them on the road.  

Along with a reminder to be careful while driving in the dark, “fall back” time is also a good time to make sure that all smoke detectors and carbon monoxide (CO2) detectors are working properly. Changing the batteries is a good idea at this time.  

If you think CO2 poisoning couldn’t happen to you, consider that over 1000 Michigan residents ended up in the ER last year from CO2 exposure.  

CO2 is formed whenever fuels are burned, like in furnaces, water heaters, generators, gas grills, dryers, lanterns, space heaters, fireplaces, chimneys, and gas stoves. If they are not properly vented to the outdoors, there could be trouble, and a working CO2 detector could alert your family to the problem.  

So, when you change the clocks before you go to bed on Saturday night, check those CO2 and smoke detectors and remind all drivers, especially new drivers, to be careful on those dark morning and evening commutes.