This Sunday, folks across the country will be adjusting their clocks for Daylight Saving Time. AAA East Central is offering tips to avoid drowsy driving as a result of this change.

"Many will find on Monday that their normal morning commutes will be darker than they're used to, which can be especially dangerous for pedestrians and children waiting at bus stops," said AAA East Central Director of Legislative Affairs, Theresa Podguski.

Podguski adds that less sleep can lead to an increase in the number of drowsy drivers on the road, so motorists should prepare to adjust to losing an hour of sleep along with the darker road conditions.

Research by AAA revealed that drivers who don't get enough sleep put themselves, along with everyone else on the road at risk. AAA reports that drowsy driving crashes are eight times more prominent than indicated by federal estimates due to the difficulty in detecting drowsy driving following crashes.

In addition, the CDC reports that 35% of U.S. motorists sleep less than the minimum of seven hours daily, which could be exacerbated by this weekend's time change.

The most common symptoms of drowsy driving include having trouble keeping your eyes open, drifting from your lane and not remembering the last few miles driven.

AAA says that drowsy driving is just as dangerous as drunk driving and offers the following tips to avoid it:

- Plan for an extra hour of sleep to offset the time change

- Avoid heavy foods before driving

- Avoid medications that cause drowsiness or other impairment

- For longer trips, schedule a break every hundred miles

Additionally, AAA is also offering some tips for pedestrians to increase their safety in the darker road conditions:

- Pay attention while walking, especially near crosswalks

- Wear bright colors and reflective clothing at dusk and at night

- Carry a flashlight while walking in the dark

- Make eye contact with drivers when crossing the street

- Walk on the sidewalk. If there is no sidewalk, walk facing traffic

- Cross at intersections and never run out from in between parked cars on the side of the road