A study by researchers at the University of Washington estimates that permanent daylight saving time could result in around one billion more dark-morning school commutes for K–12 students. The findings examine a proposal in the U.S. known as the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make daylight saving time permanent.
The researchers, Rodríguez Ferrante and colleagues, analyzed a decade of national fatal-crash records. They found higher odds of pedestrian involvement in crashes during dark mornings than during light mornings. The odds were greater still for children aged 5 to 18: 2.22 compared with 1.77 across the broader analysis, according to the study.
Under permanent daylight saving time, winter mornings would be darker for students traveling to school. The researchers’ estimate includes children waiting for buses and traveling by bus or car. Student safety was also a key concern for some senators considering the proposal.
The study was released to journalists on October 29 and is listed as in press in the journal Current Biology. Its findings add a safety-focused argument to the debate over whether the United States should keep changing clocks, adopt permanent daylight saving time or use permanent standard time.
Sources: Psychology Today.