Daylight Savings Time 2011 2012 - Spring Forward/Fall Back Dates

Sep 20, 2010
Victoria Nicks

DST 2011 - Enjoy the extra hour of sunlight! - Stock Xchng Image by noquerajef

The "Spring Forward" and "Fall Back" days changed in 2007, so make sure you check the dates, and reset your clocks on the right days during the time change.

We used to "Spring Forward" in April, and "Fall Back" in October, but the dates have changed as of 2007. Daylight Savings Time (DST) in 2011 and 2012 will require you to change your clocks in March and November instead.

The Energy Policy Act of 2005

The Energy Policy Act, passed in 2005, changed the dates of DST starting in 2007. Prior to 2007, clocks were changed on the first Sunday in April for the spring portion of DST. The autumn clock changes used to take place on the last Sunday in October. Congress enacted the Energy Policy Act to extend daylight hours for the purpose of saving energy and increasing safety on the roads.

Spring Clock Change Dates in 2011 and 2012

In 2011 and 2012, set your clocks forward one hour at 2:00 AM on the second Sunday in March. These are the exact dates:

DST 2011 - 13 March, 2011
DST 2012 - 11 March, 2012

Autumn Clock Change Dates in 2011 and 2012

Set your clocks backwards one hour, starting at 2:00 AM, on the first Sunday in November. The exact dates of Daylight Savings Time in 2011 and 2012 are:

DST 2011 - 6 November, 2011
DST 2012 - 4 November, 2012

When Will You Reset Your Clock?

Are you a "set it before you forget it" Daylight Savings Time-er, or more of an "Oops, I forgot to reset the clocks!" type-person? When it's time to spring forward or fall back, many people just change their clocks before going to bed, or reset them in the morning when they wake up, rather than changing the clocks exactly at 2:00 in the morning. Be careful when changing your clocks before bed, though - some clocks are smart enough to change the time automatically for DST. If you change the time manually, you may end up an hour off.

The Uniform Time Act That Started DST

As a nation, we began setting our clocks forward and back when DST officially started in 1966. The Uniform Time Act did not require all states to go along with the new legislation, but over time almost every state fell in line. The states of Arizona and Hawaii are the only states that do not currently participate in the twice-yearly time change. The US Territories of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa and the Virgin Islands also do not change their clocks for Daylight Savings Time.

Springing forward and falling back every year may be a mild inconvenience to some, but it extends the length of daylight hours for many people who would otherwise be driving home in the dark after work. Looking for more information? Read more about Falling Back in 2011.

Victoria Nicks - Victoria Nicks has a Master's Degree in IT, and extensive hands-on experience with various types of hardware and software.

Spring Forward Time Change 2011 - Stock Xchng Image by malko

Daylight Savings Time 2011 - Stock Xchng Image by iotdfi

Comments

Jan 5, 2011 6:41 PM

Guest :

I say we spring forward, then never change the time back. We'd always have the extra hours time.

Mar 3, 2011 11:26 PM

Guest :

I agree. By the time I change all 30+ clocks in my home, it is time to change them back again.

Mar 7, 2011 3:21 PM

Guest :

I also agree. There's no valid reason to change time twice a year, in fact it's absolutely ridiculous! It causes more problems than it solves and the policy should be changed immediately to Daylight Savings all the time! If the original primary concern was sending kids to or from school in the dark, the schools should be the ones adjusting their class schedules accordingly instead of expecting the rest of the country to bump the time back and forth every year!

Mar 10, 2011 11:11 AM

Guest :

i agree with these three brilliant comments!!! Forget changing the clocks, TIGER BLOOD ALL THE WAY BABY. By not changing the clocks, we are all WINNING!!!

Mar 12, 2011 7:44 AM

Guest :

I do not agree. Nature was created with its own cycles for a certain reason. The fact we change nature's has affected and will continue affecting our planet, just for the convenience of man. I think we are very selfish and if nature's cycles are some seasons with longer days and other with shorter ones, then we should respect them.

Mar 12, 2011 1:45 PM

Guest :

The reason for time changes is more tied to farmers than kids walking to school in the dark. Check history.

Mar 12, 2011 11:52 PM

Guest :

Each time when we change the time it make me feel weir.

Mar 12, 2011 11:55 PM

Guest :

why does it change only in U.S?

Mar 14, 2011 5:22 AM

Guest :

Thank you phone alarm for waking me up in time. And thank you internet for clearing up my foggy morning mind, and showing me that this isn't all a bad dream, and that my clocks really are all set wrong.

Mar 24, 2011 3:16 AM

Guest :

Why are you all so upset? Time isnt even real, just a way man has found to divide up the day. And the clocks changing is to help with farming etc

Aug 21, 2011 4:31 AM

Guest :

The Uniform Time Act...This act should be removed from the books. Let Mother Nature do her job. So someone has to drive home in the dark after work. That's why vehicles have lamps. I'll agree that the extra hour of daylight during the summer months is nice, only because it allows me to mow my lawn after work...but then again, my tractor has lamps and they have come in quite handy for night mowing...it's much cooler that way.

Aug 22, 2011 12:47 PM

Guest :

You people that saying time change affects "Mother Nature" are idiots. Time is nothing but a uniforming way for humans to collaborate in society. If I have to be at a meeting, it is much easier to have a consistant measurement that will match up with others so that we all arrive at 5, not when we THINK 5 is. "Mother Nature" is not going to suddenly get ticked off because she wanted it to rain at 5 and we're all in a meeting. The earth has cycles, and us evolving our lives around a measurement of time is NOT going to throw off those cycles... like stupid global warming. The earth has it's own checks and balances, cycles, and there is nothing we can do but ride it out and pray we survive.

Aug 22, 2011 12:54 PM

Guest :

Aug 23, 2011 6:38 AM

Guest :

Aug 31, 2011 7:48 AM

Guest :

Ummm.... does everyone really think you increase the amount of daylight? Seriously? you just offset which hours the daylight is present. The amount of daylight is not changed. Hence, changing time is an inconvenient practice that just annoys people. So what if some people are able to driv ehome in daylight, that jsut means others now have to drive to work or school in darkness.

Sep 12, 2011 9:47 PM

Guest :

I just need to point out that daylight savings time is in no way "messing with mother nature". I promise that, whether or not we change the already arbitrary position of our clocks, daylight hours will be longer in the summer and shorter in the winter. With or without daylight savings, Mother Nature will continue to "do her thing".

Sep 12, 2011 9:53 PM

Guest :

Sep 14, 2011 11:25 AM

Guest :

I say we fall back an hour for beginning of work and spring forward for quitting time each day so as not to forget. But that is just me talking. :)

Sep 14, 2011 12:38 PM

Guest :

My cows don't give as much milk with that extra hour of daylight.

Sep 22, 2011 6:57 AM

Guest :

Europe does it too.

Sep 22, 2011 6:57 AM

Guest :

Europe does it too.

Sep 22, 2011 6:58 AM

Guest :

Europe does it too.

Sep 23, 2011 7:38 AM

Guest :

So...summer is the only time that we should be safe driving home?

Sep 24, 2011 11:54 PM

Guest :

Ooh shut up :)

Sep 25, 2011 8:22 PM

Guest :

Who the hell calls headlights lamps? I say we go further in the spring we set the clocks ahead six hours that way the sun rises at noon and sets at 2am lol itd solve alot more problems and make me feel less like a loser for wakin up in the afternoon

Sep 28, 2011 7:55 AM

Guest :

To those that state this is for farmers, you are completely wrong. Farmers are actually completely against the change in time. Animals eat at a consistent time daily, and are expected to be fed at that time. They do not know that time changed and therefore will be fed 1 hour earlier or later depending on which season it is. Nature dictates when they are hungry. Further if you do the research, DST was implemented during the first world war unsuccessfully but with the intent that energy be conserved for the war effort. This was again re-instated during WWII with the same intent. It had alternate benefits for driving as more accidents happen when it is dark. But please do not say it was for farmers benefit.

Sep 28, 2011 9:07 AM

Guest :

Sep 28, 2011 12:43 PM

Guest :

Sep 29, 2011 2:58 PM

Guest :

She got it backwards. If we wanted to drive home in the daylight every day of the year like she says, we'd fall forward and spring back.

The current time change is so that the SUNRISE is around the same time every day. The sunset is way way different, it can be as early as 420 at certain times of the year and as late as 830 at others (where I live)

Sep 29, 2011 2:59 PM

Guest :

"why does it change only in U.S?"

... are you serious?? Wow.

Sep 30, 2011 9:56 AM

Guest :

The time change was implemented to help with the consumption of consumable. It started well before 1966 (circa 1918) Its main use was for War! By moving the time to fit the daylignt better more war machines were procuced without the aid of additional lignting sources and extra power to run them (Germany did it first). Now however we live in a 24/7 world and the nuisance of changing the clock causes more problems then pleasures. If you want to go do something durring the day you are most likely going to fake and illness or just take time off work to do so. LETS GET RID OF IT!!!! Even in the report given back to the senate about the adjustment of the time change produces no measurable change in power consumption.

Oct 1, 2011 12:32 PM

Guest :

Oct 1, 2011 2:51 PM

Guest :

High

Oct 1, 2011 9:48 PM

Guest :

Happens in Canada too.

Oct 3, 2011 1:53 PM

Guest :

I get a kick out of reading people's comments. Keep it up! I appreciate the laugh!

Oct 3, 2011 2:14 PM

Guest :

I get a kick out of reading people's comments. Keep it up! I appreciate the laugh!

Oct 4, 2011 3:41 AM

Guest :

some people r crazy

Oct 4, 2011 5:07 PM

Guest :

If you sit up until 2:00 in the morning to change your clock, you have problems.

Oct 5, 2011 5:46 PM

Guest :

its stupid

Oct 6, 2011 8:14 AM

Guest :

I think that changing time is stupid. Lets just leave time alone. Spring it forward and lets just be one time all year long.

Oct 6, 2011 8:24 AM

Guest :

Leave it at fall back time. I seriously doubt anything extra special gets done just because certain folks are afraid of dusk or dark. High school football games, mega lights. Soccer games, mega lights. As with most people, my body clock doesn't change anyway. So, you end up with a super charged ready to go person or a really this is ridiculous person. LETS ALL GAIN AN HOUR. LEAVE IT AT FALL BACK!

Oct 7, 2011 7:33 AM

Guest :

I lived in Puerto Rico for 5 years and I found that I did not miss DST. It was nice to watch the natural change in teh days. Some days the sun would set at 830 and later in the winter it would set much earlier...but I didn't have to worry about my daughter getting confused for a month and now I have a 19 month old. She goes to bed now at 730 and starting in Nov I have to put her in bed at 830 just so I don;'t have to wake up at 6 instead of 7 am...lol...there is a lot of preperation that goes into DST...It just doesn't seem worth it. Mother Nature will do her thing with or without humans...I don't think she cares what we do either way....LOL

Oct 9, 2011 9:30 PM

Guest :

I like it when there's no dst because my kids have to come in earlier and have time to relax before bed.. summer time I have to work harder to get them inside first then n the bath. Plus mother nature don't care bout us and the goverment don't either its just something else for them to control. They run the show. We just participate in it. So fall back.

Oct 9, 2011 9:31 PM

Guest :

Oct 9, 2011 11:28 PM

Guest :

I detest daylight savings time. The reasons it was originally enacted don't exist any longer and no new study was done to support the new dates (or to even prove or disprove the reasons it might be need now). Why do we put up with it?

Oct 10, 2011 7:22 AM

Guest :

They left daylight savings time alone one year several years ago. The problem was that the children were going to school in the dark. So they went back to changing the time twice a year. Why can't we all just except that the days are shorter in the winter and longer in the summer and leave the darn clocks alone.

Oct 12, 2011 6:13 AM

Guest :

Why, Why are you people so worried about it this is nonsense for the ones who dont like to change their clocks then dont and we will see how far that get you......who cares if the kids go to school in the dark, if you have a problem with it, then get off your lazy butts and take your child to school......quit complaining freaking hippies.....I hate hippies

Oct 12, 2011 6:13 AM

Guest :

Oct 13, 2011 7:02 AM

Guest :

Ben Franklin was the man. Fat? yes...but the man.

Oct 20, 2011 3:19 PM

Guest :

well actually the first sunday in November this year is 1 Nov. lol

Oct 25, 2011 6:32 AM

Guest :

Just adjust the time 30 minutes and that is the end of Daylight Savings Time. Earth to Politicians, Come in Morons!!!!

Feb 22, 2012 4:02 PM

Guest :

I hate having the sun go down at 4PM in the winter. By 7PM I am ready for bed.

Feb 27, 2012 2:35 PM

Guest :

i think it is crazy changing the time twice a year. leave it alone i say

Feb 28, 2012 2:03 PM

Guest :

There is no EXTRA hour of sunlight
Daylight "savings" time costs the average comsumer additional electricity

Feb 29, 2012 3:42 PM

Guest :

I say every year should be leap-year then we would gain a whole day and never have to pay it back!

Feb 29, 2012 3:43 PM

Guest :

I say every year should be leap-year then we would gain a whole day and never have to pay it back!

Mar 6, 2012 11:05 PM

Guest :

I say set clocks up one half an hour and leave it at that--never change again!!

Mar 11, 2012 8:16 AM

Guest :

why do we do this any way. The reason we used to do is so the farmers can work in the light now they have lights on the farm so there is no reason to continue this crazy ritual every few months. Why doesn't the government put an end to this nonsense.

Mar 18, 2012 7:25 PM

Guest :

Has anyone had the problem waking up with an iphone on daylight savings change?

59 Comments