As you're running around the house changing your clocks, don't forget to also set back the clock in your car on November 1!

Daylight savings ends when we "Fall back" on the first Sunday in November and begins again when we "Spring forward" on the second Sunday of March. Benjamin Franklin was the first to propose a voluntary time shift, and various parts of the United States have optionally implemented Daylight Saving Time since Daylight Saving Time legislation first became law in 1918--as part of the Federal Act, which also established our national Standard Time Zones. President Lyndon B. Johnson finally enacted the Uniform Time Act of 1966, to set standard beginning and ending dates for Daylight Saving Time across the United States.

According to Buhl Planetarium, "Many municipalities did continue to use Daylight Saving Time, and many did not. And, the beginning and ending dates, each year, of Daylight Saving Time often varied from one community to another. This became very confusing, and very costly for some industries--particularly transportation industries such as the railroads, bus companies, and airlines, and also for radio and television broadcasters."

It's slightly easier for those who live in Arizona or Hawaii, where they don't have to adjust their clocks backwards or forwards twice a year. On the other hand, without regularly resetting their clocks, many residents in those states may find that their clocks are not staying accurate, so even if you don't have to change them by an hour, it's still a good time to ensure they're all set to the correct time.

Regardless of where you live, be sure to take extra care when driving in residential neighborhoods and approaching intersections and stop signs as you adjust to the added darkness along your familiar routes. Please advise your children to be extra careful if they're walking in a parking lot or crossing the street as the sun sets, as they might be difficult to see for motorists who haven't yet adjusted to the additional darkness along their regular route.