US President-elect Donald Trump has announced plans to abolish Daylight Saving Time (DST), calling it “inconvenient” and “very costly” for Americans. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said that while DST has a small, vocal group of supporters, it should not continue and his Republican administration will work to end it.

What is Daylight Saving Time?

Daylight Saving Time (DST) involves moving clocks forward one hour in the spring and back one hour in the fall to make better use of natural daylight. According to the Pew Research Center, daylight saving time is observed in many countries around the world, including much of Europe and about a third of the world’s nations.

In the United States, however, the tradition has met with ongoing criticism. Some Americans, particularly those who prefer standard time, argue that more daylight in the morning benefits health by promoting better sleep cycles. They also claim that daylight saving time disrupts sleep patterns and causes disorientation and fatigue.

But others advocate making daylight saving time permanent, suggesting that longer daylight hours in the evening, especially for those commuting after work or school, could reduce crime, save energy and even reduce the number of traffic accidents.

History of summer time

DST has a long history and its origins date back over a century. The idea was first conceived in the 18th century by Benjamin Franklin, who discovered that he could save on energy costs by waking up earlier. The concept gained traction in the late 19th century when New Zealander George Bernard Hudson and Briton William Willett proposed ideas for changing clocks to extend daylight hours.

However, the first major introduction of Daylight Saving Time (DST) occurred during World War I to save fuel. Initially unpopular, it was abolished after the war, but was revived during World War II. Daylight saving time was made permanent in 1966 with the passage of the Uniform Time Act, but states were able to opt out. Today, most states in the United States observe daylight saving time, but Hawaii and Arizona do not because they have unique climates and geography.

Why is summer time expensive?

Daylight saving time can be costly due to its impact on energy consumption, health and productivity. Although the original intent was to save energy, the longer daylight hours often lead to higher cooling costs. The time change also disrupts sleep and contributes to health problems, lost productivity and operational inefficiencies in sectors such as transportation and technology.

According to a study conducted by Chmura Economics & Analytics, the economic cost of daylight saving time is significant. The study focused on aspects of economic loss for which evidence was available from peer-reviewed journals and found that the transition to daylight saving time, particularly during the spring transition when we lose an hour of sleep, leads to increased risks in several areas.

The study found that the economic cost of daylight saving time in the United States was significant, with an estimated total cost of $672.02 million per year. This includes the following cost categories:

1. Heart attacks: $374.75 million
2. Strokes: $251.53 million
3. Workplace Injuries: $18.35 million
4. Traffic accidents: $27.39 million