Reasons Why We Need Permanent Daylight Saving Time

We just had the annual “fallback” for the daylight-saving time change in Colorado. I do like the early sunlight we have now, but the early darkness at night is not my favorite. It makes me feel like I need to be in bed when it’s dark, and let’s face it, I can’t really go to bed at 5 p.m. Really, I could, but there would be some grumbles from my family, I’m sure.

The Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act back in March. If this legislation makes it through the House and gets signed by the President, it will make Daylight Saving Time permanent starting in 2023.

Get our free mobile app

I admit it will be nice not getting off-kilter when the time change happens. There are several things that can happen when the time change comes around. Your sleep can suffer. According to experts, it can take up to a week to adapt. For the fall time change, you may feel like staying in more because it’s dark in the evening. According to Health, getting out of your routine is not good for your mood or your health. If you have a particular routine like we do in our house, best not to break it.

It's said that a permanent Daylight-Saving Time could help with avoiding some traffic accidents, and according to a study from the University of Washington it was found that making the time change permanent would cut down on the collisions involving deer. The study shows that there are 2.1 million collisions involving deer, in the U.S. each year. Add to that an article from the Colorado Department of Transportation, which states in recent years, there has been an average of 3,300 reported wildlife hits each year. That does not include the unreported hits, which would probably at least double the amount.

MORE: Turning Back the Clocks on Colorado Inspired Tunes

According to information on DMV.org, there are some tips for preventing accidents with wildlife. The information reminds you that if you see one deer, there are typically more hidden close by. I've found that to be true.

I know someone who recently had an accident due to a deer. My friend didn’t want to damage his truck, so he swerved to miss the deer. While the deer was unhurt, my friend rolled his truck, causing it to be totaled. He’s OK now, but I think he’ll be more careful on the road, in the future.

I’ve heard people say if you come across a deer while driving, it’s best just to go ahead and hit the deer. Not sure if I believe that logic, but maybe if the Sunshine Protection Act comes to fruition, the number of car-wildlife accidents, in Colorado (and everywhere else) will go down.