Daylight Dilemma: Should We Change the Clocks?

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA) - Twice a year, one question seems to always pop up: Should we change our clocks? Research shows it could have some dangerous effects.

So many of you sounded off on our Facebook page and are worried about children staying safe at bus stops during dark mornings.

“We actually just had a report in the middle of the day--- in daylight and when that happens in daylight it can happen when it’s dark out as well,” Central Noble Transportation Director Olivia Smith said.

Smith says all year long, bus drivers are worried about people driving through their stop arms. With less daylight, she believes it’s a danger that only becomes magnified.

“It is absolutely more difficult to transport students in the dark because it can be very difficult to see,” Smith said. “When drivers are approaching the stop, they have to look out for both the child as well as the traffic.”

Just last year, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio introduced the Sunshine Protection Act. It passed out of the Senate, but stalled in the House. Earlier this month, Rubio introduced the Sunshine Protection Act of 2023, which would make Daylight Saving Time permanent. This bill has received bipartisan support in the senate and is being discussed in the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

“Be aware, always make sure you keep an eye on your children,” Smith said “The bus driver does the best job they can to make sure your students gets on and off the bus safely.

If the Sunshine Protection Act of 2023 passes, we would not fall back in November.

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