As daylight saving time comes to an end on November 5 in the U.S., it's worth exploring the history and controversies surrounding this practice. Daylight saving time is the act of moving clocks forward by one hour during the summer months. The idea behind it can be traced back to a New Zealand entomologist in the late 19th century, who proposed it as a means to conserve energy and extend summer daylight hours. Veuer’s Maria Mercedes Galuppo has the story.
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00:00As Daylight Saving Time comes to an end on November 5th in the U.S., it's worth exploring the history and controversy surrounding this practice.
00:09Daylight Saving Time is the act of moving clocks forward by one hour during the summer months.
00:15The idea behind it can be tracked back to a New Zealand entomologist in the late 19th century,
00:21who proposed it as a means to conserve energy and extend summer daylight hours.
00:26The United States adopted this custom in 1918, but it has been met with controversy from the beginning.
00:33Studies have found that there's a notable increase in fatal traffic accidents, heart attacks, strokes,
00:39and sleep deprivation in the days following the clock adjustment.
00:43Despite these concerns, there's no immediate plan to end Daylight Saving Time in the U.S.
00:48However, there is an ongoing effort in the federal government to pass a law that would make Daylight Saving Time permanent.
00:56In a 2021 poll, the Associated Press found most Americans favored staying on a single-time system
01:03instead of switching between Daylight Saving and Standard Time.
01:07Preferences were split. 43% preferred Standard Time year-round, 32% wanted Daylight Saving Time instead,
01:16and only 25% favored the current switching practice.