{
  "id": 17076168,
  "title": "Brighter evenings, darker school mornings: Permanent daylight saving time could put children's safety at risk",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/29/brighter-evenings-darker-school-mornings-permanent-daylight-saving",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-10-29T15:00:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Phys.org",
    "slug": "phys-org",
    "url": "https://phys.org/news/2026-10-brighter-evenings-darker-school-mornings.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In July 2026, U.S. lawmakers passed a bill to make daylight saving time (DST) permanent, but a new study reveals this could pose significant safety risks for millions of schoolchildren. According to the research published in the journal Current Biology, permanent DST would lead to over 2 billion children starting their school day before sunrise, increasing the likelihood of fatal pedestrian crashes during early morning commutes. Horacio de la Iglesia, a researcher at the University of Washington, emphasizes that moving the school day earlier in relation to the sun without altering the bell schedule would expose children to dark mornings, potentially putting them at a higher risk of early-morning accidents. The study highlights that while DST may provide more evening daylight, it shifts the light hours away from children's morning travel times, particularly affecting those who walk, take the bus, or participate in early school programs. The researchers argue that permanent standard time (ST) would be safer for students, aligning better with their biological and social rhythms, and reducing the number of dark school mornings compared to permanent DST or seasonal time changes.",
  "summary": "In July 2026, the U.S. House passed legislation to make daylight saving time (DST) permanent. But a new analysis of the consequences of the Sunshine Protection Act, reported in the journal Current Biology on Oct. 29, finds that this legislation would have serious safety consequences for millions of schoolchildren across the U.S. They would have to leave for school before sunrise, when fatal…",
  "key_points": [
    "Permanent daylight saving time could start school day before sunrise for over 2 billion children",
    "Horacio de la Iglesia warns of increased fatal pedestrian crashes in dark mornings",
    "Standard time would be safer for students compared to permanent DST"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Medical Xpress",
        "title": "Permanent daylight saving time could add at least two billion dark school commutes across US",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/29/permanent-daylight-saving-time-could-add-at-least-two-billion-dark",
        "published": "2026-10-29T15:00:10.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}