Insurancebreaking news
House-passed daylight saving bill stalls in Senate as school commute worries grow
Georgia alone would see about 71 million more school trips in darkness under permanent daylight saving time, according to researchers.
This article is general information, not financial, investment or insurance advice. Check the details with a qualified adviser before you decide.
A bill stuck in the Senate
Georgia would see approximately 71 million additional school trips in darkness under permanent daylight saving time, the largest increase among the states researchers examined. [1] Students, parents and school staff in those states are the people most directly affected.
The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation this past summer that would eliminate the annual return to standard time in the fall. [1] The federal legislation remains stalled in the Senate, with school start times emerging as a major concern. [1]
Darker winter mornings
Permanent daylight saving time would push sunrise an hour later during winter, leaving mornings darker from November through March. [1] Bright light early in the day helps synchronize the body's circadian clock, which influences sleep, mood, appetite, and other functions. [1]
The researchers examined 14 of the 19 states that have approved permanent daylight saving time measures, combining school enrollment, school start times, and geographic coordinates. [1]
The state numbers
In Washington state alone, permanent daylight saving time would produce nearly 35 million additional school commutes in darkness. [1] Mississippi and Alabama would each have more than 20 million school trips in darkness. [1]
Georgia would show the largest increase, at approximately 71 million additional dark school trips. [1]
Safety and school schedules
An analysis of U.S. traffic collision records found that fatal crashes involving school-aged pedestrians were roughly twice as likely during dark mornings as after sunrise. [1]
The researchers argue that permanently moving clocks forward could undermine gains from later high school start times by making morning sunlight less accessible to adolescents. [1] De la Iglesia argues that delaying school start times to offset dark mornings could ripple through daily life, requiring families and workplaces to adjust schedules. [1]
What it means for families
The burden of permanent daylight saving time is likely greatest for children who walk, wait for buses, or arrive early for school breakfast programs, which disproportionately serve lower-income families. [2] If your child travels to school in one of those ways, the dark mornings of November through March are the ones that matter. [2][1]
The researchers argue that permanent standard time would reduce the current number of dark school mornings by half. [2]
Sources
- Permanent daylight saving time has a dark side, scientists warn — Science Daily
- Permanent Daylight Saving Time is dangerous for kids, new research says — Popular Science
Written from the sources above and checked twice before publishing. How we work · Report an error
_Mobile_Unit_-_02.jpg){kind=link}