The pros and cons of permanent daylight saving time

The U.S. Senate recently voted unanimously to end the twice-yearly time shifts and make daylight saving time permanent. Experts say there are real consequences to springing forward and falling back. Heart attacks go up. Depression increases. There are even more car accidents around the time shifts.

“I started to think maybe this clock switching isn’t just annoying, isn’t just something that leads to cranky kids. But it’s actually something that is causing harm.” —State Sen. Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor)

But it’s unclear whether that effort will go any further in Congress. And now, there are detractors who say the move would have its own negative effects.

Listen: State Sen. Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor) talks about his bill to make daylight saving time permanent.

Guest

State Sen. Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor) represents Michigan’s 18th District. He’s the sponsor of legislation to make daylight saving time permanent in Michigan.

“Growing up I just thought this was an annoying tradition,” says Irwin. “But, looking at some of the research, what it shows is that switching our clocks twice a year doesn’t just cause crankiness and grogginess, it causes a meaningful uptick in car accidents, in workplace accidents, and in negative health consequences.”

“I started to think maybe this clock switching isn’t just annoying, isn’t just something that leads to cranky kids. But it’s actually something that is causing harm,” he says.

Related: Daylight Saving Time Would Go Away Under State Lawmaker’s Bill