On the second Sunday of March each year — which this year will be tomorrow — shortly before the spring equinox, clocks are set forward one hour at 2 a.m. This kicks off daylight saving time, which aims to give people an opportunity to make better use of daylight while they're awake. By contrast, clocks go back an hour on the first Sunday of November every year. These rules have led to the popular and easy-to-remember saying “spring forward, fall back.” One important note: It’s daylight saving time, not — as is commonly but mistakenly said — daylight savings time. Now you know! So, why does daylight time start at 2 a.m.? The 2 a.m. time change isn’t random. Back when it was first introduced during World War I, 2 a.m. was one of the few times when trains weren’t running. There was a major concern about potential collisions of trains if one train adjusted for the time change and a crossing train didn't, so Sunday at 2 a.m. was the quietest hour of the week, making it the safest choice. Now you’re probably wondering why March. That’s because in March the sun sits higher in the sky and days begin to grow significantly longer. Now you know all you need to know about the time change.
