32 Interesting Facts about Daylight Saving Time

By Karin Lehnardt, Senior Writer

Published August 25, 2017Updated October 4, 2019

The correct spelling is daylight saving time and not daylight savings time, as is commonly believed. “Saving” is used as a participle and not as a possessive._[5]
For decades, candy makers lobbied for daylight saving time, believing it would lead to more candy sales around Halloween. However, after the federal government established daylight saving, children simply waited until dark to go trick-or-treating._[9]
Daylight saving time negatively affects night owls more than morning people._[4]
When President Wilson signed daylight saving time into law during WW I, it was commonly called “fast time.” During WW II, when it was again put in force after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, it was called “War Time.”_[4]
Researchers found a 2% decrease in SAT scores when the tests were administered after daylight saving time._[2]

Willett was a tireless promoter of daylight saving time

William Willett (1856-1915), an early-rising Englishman, was the first to propose to the English parliament a type of daylight saving time. Rather than setting the clocks an hour all at once, he suggested setting the clocks forward in 20-minute increments over 4 Sundays in April and back in 20-minute increments over 4 Sundays in September. His proposal was rejected._[3]
“Cyberloafing,” or surfing the web for enjoyment during work hours, increases significantly the first Monday after daylight saving time begins in the spring. Researchers attributed this increase to lack of sleep and thus lack of focus and motivation._[8]
Researchers found that cluster headaches, or headaches that cluster on one side of a person’s head, increase during the transitions into and out of daylight saving time._[8]
In September 1999, daylight saving time helped prevent a terrorist bombing. When West Bank terrorists failed to realize that Israel had switched back to standard time, their bombs exploded an hour too early—killing three terrorists instead of the intended victims._[1]
Contrary to common belief, farmers did not lobby for daylight saving time and even fought against it in 1919. However, they lost against urban retail outlets, such as fast food and tourist companies, who were in favor of the time change._[9]
During the 1950s and 60s, each U.S. region could begin and end daylight saving time whenever they wanted. Due to widespread chaos, Congress passed the Uniform Time act of 1966, which created a standard time._[5]
Daylight saving time was first enacted in Europe during World War I. Germany and Austria moved their clocks forward one hour between April 30th and October 1st to conserve fuel. The UK and several other European countries soon followed suit._[5]
A 2014 Rasmussen poll found that an increasing number of Americans do not think daylight savings is worth the hassle. In 2014 33% of Americans supported the time change, down from 45% the year before._[7]

Daylight saving time: Only the government would believe that you could cut a foot off the top of a blanket, sew it to the bottom, and have a longer blanket.

- Anonymous

When daylight saving time was extended in 2007, there was a 7% decrease in crime in the U.S._[7]
In Antarctica, there is no daylight in the winter months and there is 24-hour daylight in the summer; however, researcher stations there still observe daylight saving to coincide with their supply stations in New Zealand or Chile._[9]
In additional to farmers, television networks dislike daylight saving time. During the first week of DST, television ratings usually decrease._[6]
Globally, about one-quarter of people in approximately 70 countries around the world implement daylight saving time, though different countries change their clocks at different times. The only major industrialized countries that do not observe DST are Japan, India, and China._[3]
A person’s chance of a heart attack rises about 10% after daylight saving time begins. When daylight saving ends in the fall, heart attacks briefly become less frequent than usual._[4]

The overall rate for stroke is the highest two days after daylight saving time

Golf courses strongly lobbied for daylight saving time because they claim that daylight saving time means an additional $400 million in revenue._[10]
Most equatorial countries do not observe daylight saving time because daylight hours are similar during each season._[9]
In 1987, Chile delayed daylight saving time to accommodate a visit from the Pope. Chile also delayed switching the time in 1990 for a presidential inauguration._[11]
United States federal law does not require any state to observe daylight saving times. However, if a state chooses to follow DST, it must follow federal start and end dates._[3]
Car accidents increase in the weeks following the beginning of daylight saving time._[7]

Fatal car crashes spike after changing the clocks for Daylight Saving Time

Most of Canada observes daylight saving time, except for most of Saskatchewan and parts of northeastern British Columbia._[9]
Benjamin Franklin was the first to suggest a change in sleep schedule in 1784 after visiting Paris. In a witty essay titled, “An Economical Project for Diminishing the Cost of Light,” he calculated, somewhat jokingly, that Paris could save $200 million in candles of today’s dollars if they adopted daylight saving time._[5]
Daylight saving time has been surprisingly controversial because of its wide impact on energy conservation, agriculture, transportation, street crime, television schedules, voter turnout, car accidents, the stock exchange, and even inheritance rights._[4]
Contrary to common belief, Germany was not the first to implement daylight saving time. The first was Nova Scotia and Winnipeg in Canada on April 23, 1916, one week before Germany._[5]
In the United States, daylight saving time begins at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday in March and ends at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday in November._[9]

Daylight Saving Time is a boon for BBQ companies

The barbecue industry strongly supports daylight saving time because the time change creates an extra $100 million in sales of grills and charcoal briquettes._[10]
Daylight saving was chosen to start at 2:00 a.m. because it is when the fewest trains were running, and it prevents the date from switching to yesterday. Additionally, 2:00 a.m. is before most shift workers leave for work, and it causes minimal disruption to bars, which close at 1:59 a.m._[9]
In the United States, daylight saving time is not observed in Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, and Arizona (with the exception of the state’s Navajo Nation)._[4]
Researchers do not agree that daylight saving conserves energy. For example, the increase in air-conditioned homes has offset any savings in lighting._[5]