Re: “B.C. might ditch time change,” March 8.
With regard to permanent daylight time, I Googled what the sunrise times would be for us in winter. I found that in Victoria on Jan. 1, 2020, sunrise would be at 9:05 a.m. In Prince George, it would be 9:29 a.m. However, in San Diego, California, it would be 7:51 a.m.
With about 600,000 school-age children, I worry about the many thousands who would wend their way to school by themselves in the dark. They would find themselves having to navigate poorly lit streets, frightening shadows and blinding vehicles. I feel for any driver who would suffer great trauma if they hit a child.
I think about the many hundreds of children in rural areas who would be waiting by the side of pitch-black roads for the school bus to arrive. I can imagine the possibly thousands more parents who would decide to drive their children to school for safety’s sake. The congestion around schools could be brutal.
I therefore cannot see that the benefit of an extra hour of daylight in the evening during the winter would outweigh the danger to our children.
Perhaps the government has the intention of changing school start times. That would solve the problem, but create a whole lot more.
M.L. Burrage
North Saanich
