Daylight Savings 2023: Know Why These Two States Didn’t Change the Time

Daylight Saving Time (DST) is a practice of setting the clocks forward one hour during the spring and back one hour during the fall. The purpose of DST is to make better use of daylight. By setting the clocks forward in the spring, we have more daylight hours in the evening. By setting the clocks back in the fall, we have more daylight hours in the morning.

According to the Times of India, many people in the United States witnessed a rollback of time when their digital devices automatically jumped back an hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday. 

However, in two places, the clock remained the same: Hawaii and Arizona. 

Why Don’t These Two States Observe DST?

There are a few reasons why Hawaii and Arizona do not observe DST. One reason is that the benefits of DST are not as significant in these states as in other parts of the country. For example, Hawaii does not have long summer days, so there is less potential for energy savings. Additionally, Arizona is a hot state, and moving the clocks forward one hour in the summer would make the mornings even hotter.

Another reason why Hawaii and Arizona do not observe DST is that there is opposition from residents and businesses. Some people believe that DST disrupts their sleep schedules and makes it more difficult to adjust to the changing seasons. Businesses also worry that DST can lead to increased costs and decreased productivity.

According to the Arizona State Library, Arizona is on Mountain Standard Time. It mentioned: ‘Arizona is on Mountain Standard Time(link is external). Arizona does not observe Daylight Saving Time, with the exception of the Navajo Nation. Arizona previously observed Daylight Saving Time beginning in 1918, but made the permanent change to Standard time in 1968.”

What are the Pros and Cons of DST?

There are both pros and cons to observing DST. One of the biggest pros is that it can save energy. By moving the clocks forward one hour in the spring, we make better use of daylight hours, which reduces the need for artificial lighting in the evening. This can lead to significant energy savings, especially in areas with long summer days.

Another pro of DST is that it can reduce traffic accidents. Studies have shown that there is a decrease in traffic accidents in the weeks after the clocks are moved forward in the spring. This is likely because people are more likely to be driving during daylight hours.

However, there are also some cons to observing DST. One con is that it can disrupt sleep schedules. When the clocks are moved forward one hour in the spring, people lose an hour of sleep. This can lead to fatigue, which can increase the risk of accidents and injuries.

Another con of DST is that it can be confusing for people who travel across time zones. When the clocks are moved forward one hour in the spring, people who travel from a state that observes DST to a state that does not observe DST will gain an hour. This can be confusing and disruptive.