Daylight Saving Time 2012 Leaves Many Confused In US

Daylight Savings Time that facilitates an extra hour of daylight with the nation turning their clock back an extra hour happens Sunday, Nov.4, 2012.

However, this phenomenon seems to have left many confused in the nation as many seem to be asking, "When do the clocks change?" The confusion has stemmed from the fact that previously Daylight Savings Time used to happen in the last Sunday of October. This has left many searching online to check when it is coming up, the Examiner has reported.

Earlier, the Daylight Savings Time used to commence on the first Sunday of April and end last Sunday of October. But a 2005 Bill signed by the then President George W. Bush extended the period for four more weeks.

Hence, in the current scheme of things the period commences second Sunday of March and ends first Sunday of November.

Most states participate in the Daylight Savings Time, with the exception of Hawaii and Arizona, the Examiner has pointed out.

Apparently, the four weeks extension for Daylight Savings Time was adopted to save energy and it also provided farmers with an extra hour at end of their work day.

The Daylight Savings Time Schedule as reported in the Examiner:

·         On the second Sunday in March clocks are set ahead one hour at 2 a.m., which becomes 3 a.m.

·         On the first Sunday in November clocks are set back one hour at 2 a.m., which becomes 1 a.m.

Motorists Plead For Daylight Savings Time Amid Renewed Calls For Abolition In The UK

In the U.K., where the changes in Daylight Savings Time happen Sunday Oct,.28, the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has pleaded the case for bringing daylight hours in alignment with the working day even as the Bill faces opposition in the House of Commons.

November 2011 witnessed a 14 percent increase in the monthly average of pedestrians killed or seriously injured, Carmony has reported.

Pushing forward the plea for Daylight Saving Time Simon Best, chief executive with IAM told Carmony: "Making evenings lighter would save lives. An extra hour of daylight would help to make the commute home much safer for all road users - children, cyclists and motorcyclists would benefit most."

“We want to see a three-year trial of the new daylight system. If the trial period proves the new daylight hours have a positive effect on road safety, it is clear that it is the system we should keep," Best told FleetDirectory.

The Daylight Saving Bill is aimed at delivering a three-year trial of Greenwich Mean Time plus one hour in the winter (GMT +1) and GMT +2 in the summer.

However, the Bill was not well-received in the House of Commons in January 2012, despite enjoying support of 120 MPs.

David Williams, CEO of GEM Motoring Assist, told FleetDirectory: “Changing the clocks adds further to the dangers for road users."

“The reduced daylight hours not only mean that motorists are driving in the dark during rush hour, but pedestrians and other road users, particularly school children, are also at an increased risk," Williams added.