The United States, Canada, and Cuba are gearing up to advance their clocks by an hour on March 10, marking the start of ‘Daylight Saving Time (DST)’.
In the US and several neighbouring nations, DST will commence on March 10 at 2 am local time, resulting in a one-hour loss for individuals. Meanwhile, in the UK and various other European countries, daylight saving time, also called ‘summer time’, will kick off on March 31.
Several countries in the Northern Hemisphere, situated above the equator, adopt Daylight Saving Time (DST) during the summer months, although not universally. Typically, DST commences between March and April and concludes between September and November, with countries reverting to standard time.
Conversely, below the equator, countries in the Southern Hemisphere typically implement DST from September to November and conclude it between March and April.
What is ‘Daylight Saving Time’?
Daylight Saving Time (DST) involves advancing the clocks by one hour during summer months to maximise natural daylight usage, then reversing the change in fall. While prevalent in North America and Europe, many countries do not follow this practice, especially those near the equator.
Since its inception, DST has sparked controversy, leading to multiple adoptions and rejections by various countries.
Egypt recently announced the reinstatement of DST after a seven-year hiatus to optimise energy consumption. Meanwhile, Japan contemplated implementing DST for the 2020 Olympics but ultimately dismissed the idea due to insufficient public support and technical complications.
Why to use DST?
According to Time and Date, DST is utilised by less than 40% of the world’s countries, with some employing it to optimise the utilisation of natural evening daylight. The variation in light is most evident in regions situated at a particular distance from the Earth’s equator.
Certain studies suggest that DST could decrease road accidents and injuries by providing additional daylight during peak traffic hours. Conversely, other studies indicate that DST adjustments may negatively affect people’s health.
Additionally, DST aims to reduce the demand for artificial lighting during evening hours, although numerous studies present conflicting perspectives on its energy-saving efficacy. While some research supports the notion of positive outcomes, others refute it.
DST in US
Daylight saving time is observed in the US from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November, according to the US Department of Transportation (USDOT), as reported by the New York Post.
Since 1966, the USDOT has been responsible for managing the time change following a transfer of responsibility from the Interstate Commerce Commission.
Clocks will officially advance by an hour at 2 am Sunday. If your smartphone serves as your alarm, there’s no action required. However, if you rely on an analogue or digital clock not connected to Wi-Fi, adjusting it one hour before bedtime is advisable.