It’s ‘Official’–Almost Everyone Hates Daylight Savings Time
As years pass, more and more Americans, and Washington residents, agree they'd just as soon see Daylight Savings Time go away.
The original theory was to add more daylight to evening hours (productivity, outdoor enjoyment etc.) and to save energy.
However, as recent as 2008, government reports indicate the energy savings are not enormous and perhaps not enough to continue the practice. 11 years ago, the estimated energy savings from DST were at 0.5 percent of the entire national energy output, and that number has fallen even more during the last decade. It's almost negligible. It's also not worth it having to get up an hour earlier.
Some argue crime rates go down during DST, but other figures show they rise in nicer weather--so that's a wash.
According to a new survey released by Pemco Insurance this week: (surveying 1,200 Washington and Oregon residents)
- 54% of those in the Northwest say it takes them at least two days to adjust to DST.
- 21% say 3-5 days, and 21% of Oregonians said a week.
Several studies show the week following DST (spring forward) traffic accidents and heart attack incidents rise an average of 10%.
With digital technology, most of us don't have to worry about clocks being set forward, only the wall clocks and maybe the stove and microwave. But for many spring forward is an annoyance they'd just as soon get rid of. President Trump agrees, as do many legislators, they favor leaving us on permanent DST. That would mean setting the clock forward in the spring, and leaving it there for good.
BTW it happens officially at 2AM this Sunday morning, November 8.
For more on the Pemco study click on the button below.