Trump Says Murder Rate Could Fall Under Permanent Daylight Saving Time

Could adopting permanent daylight saving time lead to a reduction in murder rates? The U.S. president thinks so. Read on for all of the details.

Trump Urges the Senate to Adopt Permanent Daylight Savings

President Donald Trump is asking Congress to pass the Sunshine Protection Act, noting that it could help lower both murder and robbery rates across the country. The U.S. has moved clocks an hour forward during the warmer months since World War I in an effort to extend the daylight hours. Known as Daylight Saving Time (DST), this practice is reversed in the fall when most Americans turn the clocks back one hour and return to standard time.

The Sunshine Protection Act passed the House last month by a vote of 308 to 117. The piece of legislation is now up for a vote in the Senate. Should the act pass this chamber of Congress, Trump has indicated that he will sign it into law.

On Wednesday, the president took to social media to post, “For many years, the vast Majority of Americans have asked to make Daylight Saving Time permanent, but no Administration has been able to get it properly done, until now." The president went on to say in the Truth Social post that he is "proud to announce that the House of Representatives has passed the Bill, and it has now gone to the Senate for final approval.”

Trump also used his post to detail that several studies have shown that ending the biannual time change will give Americans another hour of extra natural light and reduce robbery, murder, and car accident rates. The president also claims that eliminating the twice-yearly change will lower the risk of cardiac issues, seasonal depression, and stroke.  Trump ended his plea calling on Congress to act, saying that "This is an issue that Republicans, Dumocrats, and Independents can unite behind. I am asking Republican Senators to PASS THE SUNSHINE PROTECTION ACT, ASAP.”

Diving Into the President's Claims

Is the president correct in stating that permanent DST will reduce the murder rate? While research indicates that a boost of daylight hours in the evening could translate to a lower threat of crime, studies have not consistently shown that the change would reduce murder rates.

A 2012 working paper out of Stanford University found a significant drop in murders around sunset after the spring clock change. However, this data was not statistically corroborated in further analysis. A more recent study across 11 American cities found that although there was no correlation between daylight and homicide rates, the additional light at the end of the day did reduce the incidence of robberies.

The Senate has not yet scheduled a vote on the legislation. It would need at least 60 votes (out of 100 members) to pass and move on to the president's desk.

Weather changes fast, so help your community stay prepared. Share this story with friends, family, or your group chat, and keep your forecast in the now with Weather Forecast Now.