Advantages to Daylight Saving Time switch are debatable in Arizona

There are many reasons why it's terrific to live in Yuma.

We have mild winters (without snow!), an abundance of sunshine and fresh produce, and we have a variety of outdoor options to explore and visit.

But one of my favorite reasons? Arizona doesn't do the Daylight Saving Time change.

That's right. This morning at 2 a.m., most of the rest of America lost an hour.

That was one of my least favorite things about living in Ohio. Sure, I appreciated the fact that there was more light in the evening hours, but to sacrifice that hour of sleep in exchange? It was a tough call.

Apparently, I'm not the only one who struggled with that.

In fact, 61 percent of Americans say changing the clocks has an effect on them, and 40 percent say it takes them at least one week to get back to normal, according to a recent survey in USA Today.

So why does the daylight saving time switch happen?

According to an article on NationalGeographic.com, the change decreases the amount of daylight in the morning hours so that more daylight is available in the evening.

Research has shown that the practice results in more energy savings – if it's still sunny at 9 p.m., you wait longer to turn on your lights. At the same time, research has found there is a decline in the number of traffic accidents, traffic fatalities and incidents of crime.

However, the move isn't beneficial to some, such as farmers, who often start in the early morning hours. For them, that means starting in the dark.

Arizona, however, has its own reasons for not following daylight saving time, and it has to do with our sizzling summers.

If Arizona were to follow the practice, the sun would still be up until 9 p.m., much to the bane of the Arizona Republic's editorial writers in 1969.

“[Data] clearly show that we must wait until about 9 p.m. DST to start any night-time activity such as drive-in movies, moonlight rides, convincing little children it's bedtime, etc. And it's still hot as blazes!,” they noted.

While the evenings seem endless in states that do practice Daylight Saving Time, I for one am happy to leave time as it stands in Arizona.

What do you think, Yuma? Should Arizona follow Daylight Saving Time? Let us know online at www.YumaSun.com.