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Teens blame school schedules and jobs for reckless behavior on the road, study says
Sleeplessness is dangerous not just for the individual who isn’t getting enough rest, but also for others, as a study highlights the risk of “drowsy drivers” on the road.
Lack of sleep can lead to several mental and physical health issues among people of all ages. Previous studies found that teens who slept just an hour less as children faced a greater risk of substance use. The same prompts them to engage in more risky behaviors.
Hundreds and thousands of teens drive drowsy every week
Imagine falling asleep behind the wheel on the way to work or school. This is the plight of millions of U.S. teens who reported experiencing drowsiness while on the road.
A new study presented at the SLEEP 2024 annual meeting found that over 400,000 teens drive drowsy at least once per week, while an estimated 1.7 million teenage drivers have “driven drowsy.”
When asked about their rather reckless behavior, the participants of the study named school schedule and work as factors preventing them from getting adequate sleep.
Principal investigator Joseph Dzierzewski pointed out that the figures are concerning as teens are new drivers with fewer opportunities to engage in drowsy driving.
A statement issued by the National Sleep Foundation identifies “drowsy driving as a pervasive threat to public health” and recommends the state make drowsy driving education�mandatory.
Furthermore, 95% of the participants consider drowsy driving “extremely or very risky”, but the same was viewed as “lowest risk of death or serious harm” when asked if being drunk, drugged, or distracted while driving could lead to death or serious injuries.
Two-minute test can determine if you’re safe to drive
Measuring sleepiness can prevent major accidents, whether on the road or in industries that involve handling heavy machinery that requires extreme attention.
Neuroscientists have discovered a test that only takes two minutes to determine if you’re too sleepy to drive, work, or sit for an exam.
The new method calculates the time an individual can take to fall asleep by attaching electrodes to the scalp in the form of an electroencephalogram (EEG)�to measure the electrical activity of the brain.
The new EEG marker helps manage�sleep�disorders such as insomnia, sleep apnea, and others responsible for daytime sleepiness, as well as predict if someone is safe enough to drive or has the mental capacity to sit through an exam.
