If the 2020 and 2021 news cycle has made one thing clear, itâs that life is nearly impossible to predict these days. But amid the barrage of strange and generally unfavorable news, one thing remains constant: Twice a year, in most of the United States, we change our clocks. And for a few weeks every winter, many of us lament about shorter days and reduced sunlight. Before we get into the bright spot (thereâs good news here, I promise), letâs take a little trip down memory lane. It might surprise you to learn that the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) oversees things like time zones and daylight saving time (DST). The USDOT maintains that, by moving our clocks forward one hour during warmer months and one hour back during cooler months, we save energy by shifting our electricity usage accordingly. Additionally, the USDOT says that DST saves lives by preventing traffic injuries because people can go about more of their activities during daylight. The Uniform Time Act of 1966 made it possible for states to exempt themselves from DST (and many states and territories, including Hawaii, parts of Arizona, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands donât observe it), according to the USDOT. Still, if your state or area changes clocks twice a year, theyâre required to adhere to the federally mandated date and time for making those changes, the USDOT explains.