Clocks Fall Back in Columbus: Driving After Daylight Saving Time
Published Tuesday, October 27, 2026 · Updated October 27, 2026, 6 AM ET · 5 min read · By Hassan, Owner of Roadmate Services
Daylight saving time ends this Sunday, November 1, at 2 AM, when clocks go back one hour. From Monday, November 2, the drive home in Columbus gets dark about an hour earlier, right in the middle of deer season. A 5-minute car check this weekend and a slower drive at dusk cover most of the risk.
The date is confirmed by FOX 29 (October 21, 2026): clocks go from 2 AM back to 1 AM. You get an extra hour of sleep on Sunday. Your car gets nothing, except a dashboard clock that is now wrong.
The weather may make that first dark commute a wet one. As of 4 AM Tuesday, October 27, the National Weather Service expects a dry, mild week with highs in the 70s through Saturday, then rain likely on Sunday (60% chance) and a chance of rain on Monday (30%). There are no weather warnings or advisories for Columbus right now.
The clock change at a glance
| When | Sunday, November 1, 2026, at 2 AM. Clocks go back to 1 AM |
| What changes | The evening drive home gets dark about an hour earlier from Monday |
| Weather that weekend | Rain likely Sunday and a chance Monday, per the National Weather Service (as of Oct 27) |
| Bigger risk | Deer: October to December bring nearly half of Ohio's deer crashes |
| Bottom line | Check your lights, charge your gear, and slow down at dusk |
What changes for your drive when the clocks go back
Mornings get a little lighter for a few weeks, but the evening rush moves into the dark. If you leave work around 5:30, that drive on I-70, I-71 or the Outerbelt is now a headlight drive. Glare from wet roads makes it harder, and so do wet leaves on side streets, which are slick under the brakes.
Ohio law is simple here. Ohio Revised Code 4513.03 requires your lights from sunset to sunrise, whenever you cannot see about 1,000 feet ahead, and any time your wipers are on because of rain or snow. Sunday’s forecast rain counts. Automatic lights help, but on many cars daytime running lights alone leave the tail lights off, so check the switch.
Our Columbus driver’s calendar lists the other big dates coming up this fall, from game days to Thanksgiving travel.
A 5-minute car check for the first dark evenings
Do this on Saturday while it is still light and dry. It takes about as long as resetting the microwave clock.
- Walk around with the lights on. Headlights, low and high beams, tail lights, brake lights (ask someone to press the pedal) and hazards. Replace any bulb that is out.
- Clean the headlights and the windshield, inside too. A hazy lens or a film on the glass spreads glare from oncoming cars.
- Check the wipers. If they streak or chatter, replace them before Sunday’s rain.
- Charge your gear. Keep a flashlight and a phone charger within reach of the driver’s seat, and charge your jump starter if you have one. Our emergency car kit guide has the full list.
- Check the spare and the battery age. Put air in the spare if it is low. If the battery is three years old or more, have it tested before the first cold snap. Our guide to the signs your car battery is dying shows what to watch for.
Twice a year, when the clocks change, is an easy reminder for this check. Most people already remember to change the smoke alarm batteries then, so the car can join the club.
Deer at dusk: the bigger risk this time of year
The clock change puts the evening commute right in the hours when deer move. Ohio State Highway Patrol data reported by Spectrum News (November 10, 2025) shows October, November and December account for 47% of Ohio’s deer crashes, and 31% happen between 6 and 9:59 PM.
The Patrol’s advice, from its deer safety bulletin:
- Stay most alert from dusk to dawn, when deer are most active.
- Look past your headlights and scan both sides of the road.
- If you see one deer, expect more behind it.
- If you cannot avoid a deer, brake firmly and stay in your lane. Do not swerve.
- After a crash, pull off the road safely and call 911 or the nearest Patrol post. Do not go near an injured deer.
If your car stops after dark
Get safe, then call. A breakdown is harder to handle in the dark, because other drivers see you later.
- Turn on your hazards as soon as something feels wrong.
- Pull as far off the road as you can, ideally off the highway at an exit or into a lit lot.
- On a highway shoulder, stay in the car with your seat belt on unless the car is in danger, and do not stand between the car and traffic.
- Call for help, and tell the dispatcher the road, direction and nearest exit or mile marker.
Our guide to what to do when your car breaks down on the highway goes through it step by step. If your battery dies in Sunday’s rain, you can still jump it safely; see how to jump a car in the rain.
Dead battery on a dark Columbus evening? Jump start help
Lights left on are one of the most common reasons we get jump start calls, and darker evenings mean more headlights and dome lights left burning in parking lots. If you have cables and a helpful coworker, you may not need us at all.
If you do, jump starts are usually $75 to $150 in Columbus, and you see the price before anyone drives to you. We work 6 AM to 8 PM daily, Eastern Time, and arrive in about 32 minutes on average, depending on traffic, weather and location. After the jump we test the battery, the alternator and the charging system. See our Columbus jump start service.
Frequently asked questions
When does daylight saving time end in 2026?
Sunday, November 1, 2026, at 2 AM, when clocks go back one hour to 1 AM. Phones change on their own; most car clocks do not, so set yours that weekend.
Do I have to turn my headlights on in the rain in Ohio?
Yes. Ohio law requires lights whenever your wipers are on because of rain, snow or other weather, as well as from sunset to sunrise and whenever you cannot see about 1,000 feet ahead (Ohio Revised Code 4513.03).
Are deer crashes worse after the clocks change?
The clock change moves rush hour into the dark, and Ohio State Highway Patrol data shows 31% of deer crashes happen between 6 and 9:59 PM, with October to December the peak months. Slow down at dusk and scan the roadsides.
What should I do if I hit a deer?
The Ohio State Highway Patrol says to pull off the road safely, call 911 or the nearest Patrol post, and stay away from the deer. If you cannot avoid one, brake and stay in your lane rather than swerving.
Why do more batteries die in November?
Shorter days mean headlights, heat and wipers run more, and the first cold mornings arrive. A battery that is three to five years old is the most likely to give up. Lights left on are also one of the most common reasons we get jump start calls.
The bottom line
Clocks go back on Sunday, November 1, and from Monday the Columbus drive home is in the dark, possibly in the rain. Check your lights and wipers this weekend, charge your flashlight and jump starter, and slow down at dusk for deer.
Car won’t start in Columbus?
Call (380) 288-2822, 6 AM to 8 PM daily, Eastern Time. A dispatcher confirms the price and an arrival estimate before anyone heads your way.
Enjoy the extra hour on Sunday. Spend five minutes of it on the car, and keep the other fifty-five for coffee.