Daylight Savings Time, maybe.
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By Jeff Snyder
MOUNT AYR, Iowa — Ringgold County residents may soon no longer have to remember to change their clocks twice a year if Congress approves legislation that would make Daylight Saving Time permanent across the United States.
The proposal, known as the Sunshine Protection Act, would end the long-standing tradition of moving clocks ahead in the spring and back in the fall. While the measure has gained support in Washington D.C. it still requires final approval before becoming law. The proposed law passed the lower house and now heads to the U.S. Senate for that final approval.
For many local residents, the change would be welcomed. No more resetting clocks, adjusting schedules or wondering if the microwave and pickup dashboard show the correct time after the seasonal switch. Some experts also point to fewer sleep disruptions and more daylight during the evening hours.
In the United States, government officials have been toying with the idea of clock adjustment for over a hundred years. The first official use of the time shift in the United States, came during the Nixon Administration in 1973 into 1974. The official move was added into law in an attempt to save fuel during the oil crisis at that time. The thought was, extending daylight hours would save on fuel by adding daylight hours, thereby reducing the need for artificial light production. Approval for the program stood at 79 percent at the onset of the program but quickly dropped to 42 percent by February of the following year. In October, then President Gerald Ford, terminated the program due to public pressure. In the few months following the installation of Daylight Savings Time, eight students in Florida were killed in traffic accidents in predawn wrecks which officials attributed to inexperience and visibility issues placing further pressure on the administration to abolish the program.
In Ringgold County, longer evenings could mean extra time for farmers to finish fieldwork, children to play outside after school and families to enjoy community events, ball games or an evening walk around town before sunset. Local businesses could also see a bump as daylight tends to extend shopping time. Permanent Daylight Saving Time, just like in 1974, would also mean later winter sunrises. On some December mornings, students waiting for school buses could find themselves standing outside in darkness and commuters heading to work could face darker roads during the morning drive.
The safety concerns are the same today as they were 50 years ago. The Record News reached out to Jason Schaffer, Mount Ayr school superintendent, for comment on the safety concerns related to darkness in advance of official school start times.
The debate has sparked conversations across Iowa, where early mornings and changing seasons are part of everyday life. While opinions differ, many residents agree that if the clocks are going to stay on one time year-round, they simply hope it will be the one that works best for schools, businesses and agriculture.
For now, Ringgold County residents should continue changing their clocks each March and November as they always have. If Congress gives final approval to the legislation, however, the familiar phrase “spring ahead, fall back” could soon become part of history.
