Experts weigh in on bill that would make Daylight Saving Time permanent

After members of the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a bill that would make daylight savings time permanent, WRTV's Cornelius Hocker looks at how time changes affect our health and driving.

By: Cornelius Hocker

INDIANAPOLIS — A bill passed this week in the U.S. Senate would make Daylight Saving Time permanent.

It's been a popular debate in Indiana, but some health experts have concerns.

"The time in which we're making that transition from standard time and daylight saving time, we generally observe a number of medical and psychiatric conditions," Dr. Alon Avidan, a professor in the UCLA Department of Neurology, said.

Dr. Avidan says issues that arise when springing forward include doctors making more medical mistakes, more deadly heart issues and an increased risk of depression and suicide. He says for some, those issues don't go away for as long as daylight saving time occurs.

Other experts, like David Reich with the National Road and Safety Foundation, say because we lose an hour of sleep and it's darker in the morning, there could be an increased risk of motor vehicle crashes.

If the law were in effect for Christmas 2022, the sun wouldn't rise until 9:04 a.m. If passed and signed by President Joe Biden, the new law would take effect in November 2023 to give time for industries to adjust.

"We need more data, and because we don't have data, I don't think you can make legislation that is very rigid," Dr. Avidan said.

Currently, Arizona and Hawaii are the only two states that don't observe Daylight Saving Time.