Daylight Saving 2018: When Does Maryland Move Clocks Forward?

BALTIMORE, MD – While winter is almost finished — even if snow is in the Maryland forecast for Monday — we have more light in the evenings starting Sunday. While spring doesn't pop up on the calendar until March 20, the first hint of it comes when Daylight Saving Time officially begins at 2 a.m. Sunday, March 11.

That means you'll want to turn your old-school clocks forward an hour when you go to bed Saturday night, March 10. The change is automatic for most smartphones, computers, tablets and other digital devices.
Daylight Saving Time is the practice of setting clocks forward one hour from standard time in the spring, and back again in the fall, in order to make better use of natural daylight.

Sunrise will be about an hour later, which will make Monday's commute a bit more risky. AAA Mid-Atlantic says school students waiting for buses and drivers heading to work in the dark can increase the odds of an accident. According to the latest findings from the Governor’s Highway Safety Association, 75 percent of pedestrian fatalities happen when it’s dark.

“Most people will see a dramatic difference during their morning commute on Monday, as roadways remain darker longer, causing concern for pedestrians,” said Ragina Cooper Averella, manager of public and government affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic. “Motorists and pedestrians, including school students waiting at bus stops, need to be aware of these dangers, remain alert, and minimize distractions to reduce the risk of motor vehicle crashes.”

Interesting fact: Arizona, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa do not observe daylight saving time.

One other thing to do the night before the time change: Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Just before you move that clock hand forward an hour, push the test button on the smoke and carbon monoxide alarm(s) in your home. If they do not work, replace the battery — unless it is a sealed 10-year lithium battery, in which case you will have to get a new alarm.

Still, the longer days and the beginning of daylight saving time are associated with the end of the SAD (seasonal affected disorder) season, giving people an extra hour of daylight to enjoy after they got off work. SAD is clinical form of depression that is believed to affect about 5 percent of the U.S. population.

Tell Us: What are you looking forward to most about the beginning of daylight saving time?

Michael Downing, the author of "Spring Forward: The Annual Madness of Daylight Saving Time," says one of the largest supporters of the annual clock change is the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Business owners find that as the days grow longer, people shop more, with the golf and barbecue industries earning some of the biggest benefits, reaching into the hundreds of millions of dollars, reports CNBC.

Critics say the lost hour of sleep harms our health, from increased strokes and heart attacks to lost productivity and workplace injuries.

Here's a bonus for you sticklers for accuracy out there: Though many people refer to the day clocks move forward as the beginning of Daylight Savings Time, it's technically Daylight Saving Time.

And when does it end? DST will last until Nov. 4, 2018.

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