Why Are We Still Doing This? Daylight Saving Time Ends Sunday.

Get ready for dark afternoons. The “dreaded” ritual of falling back is here, even as the push to “Lock the Clock” remains stalled.

This Sunday, November 2, at 2:00 a.m., the clocks “fall back” one hour. Yes, you get an extra hour of sleep. But it comes at a cost: your evening commute will now be in the dark.

Every year, the question gets louder: Why are we still doing this?

It’s certainly not for the farmers. According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, farmers were historically the strongest opponents of the change, as it disrupted their sun-based schedules.

It’s also demonstrably bad for our health. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has officially called for the elimination of seasonal time changes, citing public health risks. Medical studies, including a report from Franciscan Health, have linked the “spring forward” change to a temporary spike in heart attacks and strokes.

So, why doesn’t someone just stop it? They’ve tried. On the federal level, the “Sunshine Protection Act,” which would make Daylight Saving Time permanent, passed the Senate once but has since died completely, according to Congress.gov. Here in Indiana, the state’s own legislative records show that bills to stop the change, like 2025’s SB 244, fail in committee almost every year.

We are, quite simply, stuck.

For now, you have two jobs. First, don’t be late (or early). Remember to set your clocks back before you go to bed Saturday night.

Second, and most importantly, be safe. Safety organizations like the National Safety Council use this as the official reminder to check the batteries in your smoke detectors. And be extra careful on the roads. A recent study in the journal Current Biology found deer-vehicle collisions spike by 16% in the week after the “fall back,” as the evening rush hour suddenly aligns with when deer are most active.