Clocks spring ahead tonight for Daylight Saving Time

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 March 2026 at 9:36 am

Photo by Tom Rivers

The downtown clock on Main Street in Albion is shown on Friday night.

It’s almost time to “spring forward” and turn the clocks ahead for Daylight Savings Time. The clocks officially spring forward at 2 a.m. tonight.

Local fire departments also urge people to replace smoke and carbon monoxide detector batteries, and families should discuss home emergency plans.

AAA warns that as Americans “spring forward” and set their clocks ahead one hour, they will be losing an hour of sleep. The change in daylight hours means motorists could experience drowsy driving and added distractions behind the wheel, AAA said.

Drowsiness impairs drivers in several ways, AAA said:

Reduced alertness: Makes it harder to react quickly to hazards. Just one hour less than the expert-recommended minimum of 7 hours of sleep increases a driver’s risk of crashing.
Impaired judgment: Increases the risk of making poor decisions on the road. Sleep deprivation increases a driver’s risk of making many ordinary mistakes, leading to crashes. Those deprived of sleep by 4+ hours have an impairment similar to those over the legal BAC limit.
Hazardous Microsleeps: Can cause momentary lapses in consciousness, leading to loss of control of the vehicle and failure to respond to dangers on the road.
Self-Perception of Drowsiness: Previous Foundation research found that drivers often underestimate their drowsiness, putting themselves and others at risk.

AAA advises getting enough sleep before driving. Aim for at least seven hours of sleep per night. Motorists should avoid driving when tired or sleepy, AAA said.