'The Big Dark' returns to Washington

Well, it is official. Western Washington has entered the big dark. Falling back in our mix marks the unofficial start of our gloomiest months. And while many of us would love to ditch the clock change for good, researchers are warning it might not be the quick fix we think it is. Fox 13's Lauren Donovan spoke with scientists at the University of Washington about a surprising new study on the hidden downsides of permanent daylight saving time. It gets dark quickly anyway up here, right? Especially during the winter months. The big dark. What even is it? Meteorologist Salona Macaulay explains. It is not a Seattle lore like this is actually a real thing. But it's kind of the term of endearment that we've given it here, right? And what it really refers to is the lack of daylight as you get into the afternoon and evening hours. So it directly correlates to the fact that we have fallen back an hour now. And our sunsets are basically an hour earlier than they used to be. So you're losing daylight in the evening time. Is eliminating daylight saving time I'm altogether the answer here. We know our neighbors Workers up north in British Columbia just sprang forward for good. Senator Patty Murray wants to lock the clock. Her Sunshine Protection Act would outright eliminate the twice yearly time change. Right now what they are proposing is keeping daylight saving time the whole year. And we are saying we shouldn't keep daylight saving time the whole year. But as you just heard, researchers over at the University of Washington aren't so sure. Changing or switching between standard time and daylight saving time is not. And there is a lot of literature about it. This is Guadalupe Ferrante, who just published this study that found permanent daylight saving time could lead to at least 2 billion more dark commutes for US school children. In Washington state alone, 35 million more trips. Their team found that increases the risk for fatal car crashes with school age kids too. So children that will be walking or biking to school will be in a higher risk. If they go to school before sunrise reporting in Seattle, Lauren Donovan, Fox 13 News.