FALL BACK

Sunday, Nov. 5 is when most of the nation will "fall back" to standard time as proposed legislation to end the twice-yearly changing of the clocks has sat idle since March.

• Hawaii and Arizona are the only states that do not observe daylight saving time, with the exception of the Navajo Nation in northeastern Arizona.
• A March YouGov survey found 62% of the 1,000 surveyed wanted to see the changing of the clocks eliminated.  

Health groups and sleep experts have called for an end to the seasonal shifting of clocks, a ritual first adopted in the U.S. more than a century ago.

LEGISLATIVE ACTION

In March, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) reintroduced the Sunshine Protection Act, which in 2022 passed by unanimous consent by the Senate but not voted on by the House. This year, the bill has bipartisan support. The bill — and companion legislation in the House — would eliminate the changing of clocks and if enacted, the U.S. would not 'fall back' in November and would enjoy a full year of DST, instead of only eight months, according to a fact sheet on the bill.

But, if history is our guide, that may not be enough. In the 1970s, the last time Congress made daylight saving time permanent, the decision was reversed in less than a year after the early morning darkness proved dangerous for school children and public sentiment changed.

DETAILS 

The official time to set clocks to standard time is 2am Nov. 5 but many will change the time on their devices before going to bed Saturday.

• Daylight saving time is scheduled to return Sunday, March 10.

Daylight saving time used to run from April to October but the Energy Policy Act of 2005 extended it.

• It now runs from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November.

GEORGIA

Georgia passed a law to stop falling back and springing forward — but nothing will happen until Congress acts. Georgia is one of 19 states that have passed bills or resolutions since 2018 to make daylight saving time year-round if Congress acts, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.   Federal law says states can unilaterally move to standard time but must have the approval of Congress to adopt year-round daylight saving time.

• Florida was the first to pass legislation in 2018 and Colorado and Kentucky lawmakers passed resolutions to make daylight saving permanent in 2022.
• Other states that have taken action are: Alabama, Delaware, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME IS SAFER

The end of daylight saving time causes a 16% increase in collisions between deer and vehicles in the week after the time change, a new study shows. These types of crashes peak in late October and November due to less sunlight and less visibility for drivers, but these months are also mating season for deer, so they're on the move much more often. About 2.1 million deer-vehicle collisions happen in the U.S. annually. A permanent move to daylight saving time would reduce the crashes by about 1.7%, according to the study. Such a move also would prevent 2,054 human injuries, 33 human deaths, and $1.19 billion in damages each year. Conversely, a permanent move to standard time would increase the instances of crashes by 3.5%.

When daylight savings time ends, we lose an hour of afternoon sunlight. This may increase the likelihood of car accidents since more time is spent on the road in the darkness. Adding an hour of sunlight in the evening year-round would save the lives of more than 170 pedestrians annually, according to a recent study in Accident Analysis and Prevention. The lives of nearly 200 vehicle occupants would also theoretically be saved by the change.

CONTACT YOUR ATTORNEY

Be especially careful and alert when driving on Sunday, November 5, 2023, especially if driving near sunset. “Fall back” means the opportunity for an extra hour of sleep, so increased driver fatigue should not be a big concern. However, the change in light and decreased hours of daylight for evening driving can lead to more accidents, with other vehicles, with pedestrians and with deer!  

If you or someone you know is involved in a motor vehicle accident, contact Dave Thomas of The Thomas Law Firm for a free consultation regarding your legal rights.