Busier evening rush hour next week as motorists get used to driving in the dark

Road users should take a busier evening rush hour into account from Monday, the public works department Rijkswaterstaat warned. Switching to winter time means that evening rush hour will happen in the dark and driving in the night “sometimes takes some getting used to.” “We advise road users to be extra alert and take delays into account.”

According to Rijkswaterstaat, darkness reduces visibility and makes brake lights, for example, appear brighter and more distracting. Drivers also keep more distance when driving in the dark. “That is good for safety, but also means less traffic fits on the road.” In addition, the autumn holidays have ended, and more people are returning to work.

Winter time starts early on Sunday morning. The clocks go back one hour, moving from 3:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. That means that it gets dark earlier in the evening.

The last few days in the run-up to winter time will see unseasonably warm weather in the Netherlands. Weeronline expects maximum temperatures well above 20 degrees, very exceptional for the end of October.

On Friday, the mercury will rise above 20 degrees everywhere in the Netherlands, except on the Wadden islands. The highest temperatures are in Limburg, where thermometers could climb to 24 degrees. It is pretty sunny, but there are also some clouds.

Saturday will also be very mild. Maximums will climb to between 20 and 24 degrees, with Limburg maybe hitting 25 degrees. There may be a splash of rain in the coastal provinces, but most places will remain dry. The weather will not change much on Sunday, although it will be a degree or two cooler.

Next week will still be mild for the time of year, but the weather picture will change. The sun will shine less often, and there will be regular showers. In the second half of the week, maximums will be around 12 to 14 degrees, bringing temperatures back to what is usual for the time of year.