House Bill to Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent Could Improve Sleep and Cut Fatal Crashes

The U.S. House of Representatives is set to vote this week on the “Sunshine Protection Act of 2025,” a bill that would abolish the twice-yearly clock changes by making daylight saving time permanent nationwide.

The legislation, which passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee 48-1, repeals the Uniform Time Act of 1966 and allows states to opt out if they choose. The move comes amid growing evidence that the springtime loss of an hour’s sleep correlates with a spike in fatal crashes.

A 2025 study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found fatal crashes increased by up to 12% in the five weeks following the spring time change, while crashes dropped by 7.1% after the autumn change when an hour is gained. Researchers attribute the danger to drowsy driving linked to disrupted sleep patterns, noting it can take up to a week for drivers to fully adjust.

Darkness is a major factor: 48% of all vehicular crashes occur during dark hours, which account for just 25% of total travel. Pedestrian fatalities are even more concentrated in darkness, with 77% of crashes happening in low-light conditions, particularly during twilight or the first hour of darkness.

The study also noted a counterintuitive effect for cyclists and pedestrians, with fatal crashes decreasing by 24% during the spring change and rising by 13% in the autumn when darkness falls earlier. While permanent daylight saving time may reduce some crash risks by maintaining consistent light levels, researchers caution that the overall annual crash count might not change significantly.

The impact could vary by region, especially in northern states with shorter winter days or western edges of time zones where daylight patterns differ markedly from the rest of the region. The bill reflects broader public frustration with the biannual clock adjustments, which have been a point of contention since daylight saving time was first introduced in the U.S. in 1918.

Only Arizona and Hawaii currently observe standard time year-round, along with U.S. territories including Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.