The History of Daylight Saving Time

Daylight Saving Time, or DST, starts March 8th this year and ends on the first Sunday of November. This new way of observing Daylight Saving Time started in 2007. Those who have to go by daylight saving time will need to set their clocks forward one hour by two am March 8th. Those who do like the idea of daylight savings time enjoy it for the purpose of having extra daylight during the Spring and Summer seasons. Others find daylight saving time useful to save energy by not having to use their electricity as often as they would normally during the winter months.

Some are opposed to the idea of Daylight Saving Time. Farmers, who some people say should benefit from Daylight Saving Time, actually are opposed to the idea of having to change their clocks. Not all of the United States uses DST. Parts of Indiana do use Daylight Saving Time but other parts of Indiana do not. This is one reason why farmers are opposed to Daylight Saving Time. Farmers feel greatly inconvenienced by having to change their schedules to be able to sell their crops to people who observe DST.

When did Daylight Saving Time Begin?

Daylight Saving Time was started during World War One to save fuel by decreasing the use of artificial lighting in homes and workplaces. Although some people still observed Daylight Saving Time between World War One and World War Two, it was not officially observed nationally again until the beginning of World War Two.

However, these wars are long over so why do we still observe Daylight Saving Time?

Why We Still Observe Daylight Saving Time

Over the years, some people thought by observing Daylight Saving Time, we would have fewer accidents. However, those people didn't think about the early morning hours when school buses and people driving to work would have to drive in the dark. The early morning hours during Daylight Saving Time are much darker than the winter months when we do not observe DST. Those who believed Daylight Saving Time would make driving more safe only thought about evening hours when school was out and workers would be driving home.

A study of traffic accidents by Stanley Coren from the University of the British Columbia in 1991 and 1992 before, during, and immediately after Daylight Saving Time found alarming results. This study by Stanley Coren showed an 8% increase in traffic accidents on the Monday after the clocks were moved ahead one hour. Stanley Coren attributed these results due to lack of sleep since we all lose one hour of sleep when Daylight Saving Time begins.

However, other people do not agree with this study by Stanley Coren of the University of British Columbia. Those who do not agree say that the increase in traffic accidents on the first Monday following DST could be caused by too much light on the highway from the bright headlights of traffic. Either way, there are some who want to end Daylight Saving Time and others who want to keep observing DST.

Other Facts of Daylight Saving Time and Why it May Not be a Good Idea to Observe DST

Daylight Saving Time was observed all year round in the year 1973. Daylight Saving Time being changed to the beginning of April did not go into effect until 1986. Just two years ago, in 2007, DST was changed to the beginning of March to increase the saving of energy by decreasing the use of artificial light. It seems Congress cannot make up their minds about when we should observe Daylight Saving Time. The problem with changing the start of Daylight Saving Time yet again is the cost to reset automated equipment. Not to mention that observing DST early again puts us even further out of sync with Asia and Africa time-wise.

Standardtime.com says if we are saving energy by observing Daylight Saving Time, why not observe it all year long again? If we are not saving energy by observing DST then let us stop observing it altogether.

You can find more interesting information on the History of Daylight Saving Time by visiting the sites below.

Sources:

http://www.webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/index.html

http://www.webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/c.html

http://www.energy.ca.gov/daylightsaving.html

http://www.webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/g.html

http://www.standardtime.com/

For information on when the rest of the world observes DST, check out this website