By Islam El-Sakka
President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers are renewing efforts to make daylight saving time permanent, but new research from the University of Washington warns the change could endanger millions of schoolchildren.
Study Projects Billions More Dark Commutes
Researchers estimated that permanent daylight saving time would create at least 2 billion additional dark morning commutes to school nationwide. Traffic collision data shows fatal crashes involving school-aged pedestrians are roughly twice as likely during dark mornings compared to after sunrise.
Morning Light Critical for Health and Safety
"Nobody wants their kids to go to school in the dark," said senior author Horacio de la Iglesia, a biology professor at the university. Morning light regulates the sleep-wake cycle by suppressing melatonin and boosting cortisol; without it, children face higher risks of crashes, mood disruption, and impaired academic performance.
High School Students and Western Time Zones Most Affected
The impact falls hardest on high school students, who typically start earliest, and on communities on the western edge of time zones where sunrise occurs later. Lead author Guadalupe Rodríguez Ferrante noted some districts that currently never experience dark commutes would suddenly face that reality.
Analysis Based on 16,000 Schools
The team analyzed start times for more than 16,000 schools across 14 of the 19 states that have pre-approved the change, using enrollment data and geographic coordinates. Assuming an 8 a.m. departure, researchers said their estimate likely undercounts the true number of dark commutes.
Legislation Stalled in Senate
The House of Representatives passed a bill to make daylight saving time permanent over the summer, but the measure has stalled in the Senate. Nineteen states have already enacted legislation contingent on federal approval.
