The US Tried Permanent Daylight Saving in 1974 and People Hated It
Summary
In 1974, the United States tried keeping daylight saving time all year to save energy during an oil crisis. The plan made winter mornings very dark, causing safety worries about children and commuters, and support quickly fell. Congress ended the experiment within the same year and returned to switching clocks twice a year.Key Facts
- The U.S. adopted permanent daylight saving time starting January 6, 1974, to conserve energy during the 1973 oil crisis.
- President Richard Nixon signed the Emergency Daylight Saving Time Energy Conservation Act into law in December 1973.
- At first, 79% of Americans supported the idea of year-round daylight saving time.
- Permanent daylight saving time made winter sunrises about one hour later, causing dark mornings for many.
- Children had to wait for their school buses in the dark, and some carried flashlights for safety.
- Concerns grew due to traffic accidents involving children in dark mornings.
- Support dropped to 42% by February 1974 amid safety concerns and darker winter mornings.
- Congress reversed the law and ended the permanent daylight saving experiment by October 1974.
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