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The hidden safety risks of permanent DST

A modeling study projects 2.14 billion additional pre-sunrise commutes annually and find greater odds of pedestrian involvement in fatal morning crashes.

  • By

  • Andrea Surnit

  • November 6, 2026

  • 4 min

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  • 1

    Across 14 states, permanent DST was projected to increase annual dark-morning school commute exposure from 198 million child-days under the seasonal system to 554 million.

  • 2

    Permanent standard time was projected to result in approximately 97 million annual dark-morning school commute child-days across the 14 states.

  • 3

    A nationwide model estimated that permanent DST would add approximately 2.14 billion pre-sunrise school commutes annually, assuming an 8 AM departure time.

  • 4

    Among 10,305 fatal crashes on school-year weekday mornings, crashes before sunrise had 1.77 times the adjusted odds of involving a pedestrian compared with crashes after sunrise.

  • 5

    For pedestrians aged 5 to 18 years, fatal crashes before sunrise had 2.22 times the adjusted odds of involving a pedestrian, but the analyses could not establish causation.

Original Source(s)

The hidden safety risks of permanent DST

  • by Andrea Surnit

  • November 6, 2026

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