Don’t confuse time zones with daylight savings time.
The time zones were developed by the railroads in 1883 to resolve confusion and avoid train crashes caused by different local times…controlled by the Interstate Commerce Commission. The ICC introduced daylight savings time during WWI and abolished it after the war but allowed states to continue the practice. As a result, confusion and collisions caused by different local times once again became a transportation issue.
In 1966, the Department of Transportation was founded to serve as a “focal point of responsibility for transportation safety” and given regulatory power over time zones and DST was implemented uniformly across the Nation, with dates for the twice-yearly transitions set by law.
This still holds true today. With the exception of Arizona and Hawaii, every state must continue to observe DST between March and November, unless otherwise exempted by State law.
On the bright side…maybe your car clock is finally correct. If you’re not sure, maybe a quick note to your state legislature will get this twice annual exercise relegated to fun facts in the history books.
Given the politicians penchant for over reacting…they will probably get rid of the time zones too and we can watch the You Tube and GAB railroad collisions.
This PSA brought to you by franksiegler.com
3.14.2021