This past Sunday, we ushered daylight saving time (DST) out, and welcomed back standard time by falling back one hour. While gaining an hour is a little easier than losing an hour, is any of it necessary anymore?
The time change means darkness now arrives earlier in the evening, but it will be lighter earlier in the morning. Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and most of Arizona do not observe daylight saving time. The twice-a-year ritual has led some members of Congress to push to make daylight saving time permanent.
In March, the Senate passed a bipartisan bill, named the Sunshine Protection Act, to end the back and forth as of November 20, 2023; however, the House has not acted on the measure and appears to be stalled on the matter. Proponents said the idea would have positive effects on public health and the economy and even cut energy consumption.
Daylight saving time was first implemented in the U.S. with the Standard Time Act of 1918, a wartime measure for seven months during World War I in the interest of adding more daylight hours to conserve energy resources. Year-round DST, or "War Time", was implemented again during World War II. After the war, local jurisdictions were free to choose if and when to observe DST until the Uniform Time Act which standardized DST in 1966. Permanent daylight saving time was enacted for the winter of 1974, but there were complaints of children going to school in the dark and working people commuting and starting their work day in pitch darkness during the winter months, and it was repealed a year later. – Wikipedia – Daylight Saving Time
So, should the U.S. keep Daylight Saving Time? Let’s look at the pros and cons according to procon.org:
- Longer daylight hours promote safety – Longer daylight hours make driving safer, lowers car accident rates, and lowers the risk of pedestrians being hit by a car. Also, daylight in the evening makes it safer for joggers, people walking dogs after work, and children playing outside.
- It’s good for the economy – Longer daylight results in more people shopping after work, increasing retail sales, and more people driving, increasing gas and snacks sales.
- Promotes active lifestyles – When the day is longer it leaves more time to be active outdoors.
- It’s bad for your health – Many studies show that the change in sleep patterns, even by one hour, goes against a person’s natural circadian rhythms. One study found that the risk of a heart attack increases 10% the Monday and Tuesday following the spring time change. DST increases the risk that a car accident will be fatal by 5-6.5% and results in over 30 more deaths from car accidents annually.
- Reduces productivity – The Monday after the spring time change is called “Sleepy Monday,” because it is one of the most sleep-deprived days of the year. This results in “cyber-loafing” – employees wasting ti8me on the internet.
- It’s expensive – Many experts estimate losses in the millions due to DST. According to the Lost-Hour Economic Index, moving the clocks forward has a total cost to the U.S. economy of $434 million nationally, factoring in health issues, decreased productivity, and workplace injuries.
Time will tell if the house and the president act on the Sunshine Protection Act. Either way, we have at least one more year of the back and forth. Let us know your opinion in this week's Poll of the Week.
Sources: AP; procon.org; Wikipedia; usnews.com