Sponsored Newspapers In Education Content
| SUNDAY,
SEPTEMBER 11, 2016
5
Teens and seat belts
Even though most teens do wear a seat
belt, teens buckle up the least of any age
group. While seat belt use is important
for all ages, it’s crucial for this age group
because their crash rate is so high.
According to the Insurance Institute for
Highway Safety, two-thirds of teens killed
in crashes were not wearing seat belts.
Defensive driving
Defensive driving is an important skill for all
drivers. So, it’s especially important for teens
to start building this habit as they develop
their driving skills. What is defensive driving?
Defensive driving is a set of skills which
help you to protect yourself from common
dangers caused by bad drivers, drunk
drivers, and even poor weather conditions.
You may not be able to control the actions
of others or the weather conditions, but you
can prepare and protect yourself by building
these defensive driving habits:
• Plan ahead for the unexpected
• Control your speed
• Be prepared to react to other drivers
• Do not expect other drivers to do what you think they should do
• Respect other users of the roadway
• Be aware of driving in special road and weather conditions
• Be alert and avoid distractions, such as cell phone use or eating
Source:
Driving while drowsy
Drowsy driving is a dangerous risk to teen
drivers, with effects similar to driving while
legally intoxicated, or with a blood alcohol
content of .08. According to the National
Sleep Foundation, 11- to 17-year-olds
need at least eight and a half hours
of sleep nightly. Unfortunately, nearly
two-thirds of high school students get
fewer than seven hours. Do not
underestimate the importance of sleep,
especially in regard to driving. Teenagers
who sleep less than average are more likely
to be tired during the day, depressed and
not focused on their schoolwork. Sleep
loss also reduces their ability to process
information, pay attention and solve
problems, all crucial to safe driving.
Get the facts
• Teen drivers who sleep less than eight hours nightly are
one-third more likely to crash than those who sleep eight
or more hours nightly.
1
• Those who get less sleep than average experience
increased daytime sleepiness, depressive mood, high
levels of risk-taking behaviors and lower grades.
2
• Lack of sleep reduces a person’s ability to process
information, sustain attention, have accurate motor
control and react normally. All are crucial driving skills.
• Daily sleep is reduced by about 40 to 50 minutes from
ages 13 to 19. This is caused by gradually later bedtimes,
but more or less stable awakening times.
• The majority of fatigue-related crashes are caused by
drivers under age 25.
3
• Being awake for 18 hours is similar to having a blood
alcohol content level of 0.08, which is legally drunk.
4
Source:
1. Hutchens L, et al. Teen Driver Crash Risk and Associations with Smoking and Drowsy
Driving. Accident Analysis and Prevention. May 2008.
2. National Sleep Foundation. Summary of Findings for the 2006 Sleep in America Poll.
Available at:
.
pdf. Accessed April 7, 2010.
3. Pack AI, Pack AM, Rodgman E, Cucchiara A, Dinges DF, Schwab CW. Characteristics of
crashes attributed to the driver having fallen asleep. Accident Analysis & Prevention. 1995;
27(6):769-775.
4. National Sleep Foundation. Detection and prevention: Drowsy driving.Retrieved July 31,
2009. Available at:
/. Accessed April
7, 2010.
