About one in ten car crashes across the United States is associated with drowsy driving and younger drivers are already at a higher risk of being involved in a catastrophic car accident. A 2012 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine identified that being sleepy behind the wheel came with just as high risks of ingesting alcohol. Younger drivers between the ages of 16 and 24 make up more than 50% of the car crashes that are associated with drowsy driving.
Teenagers are among the highest risk groups across the country for being sleep deprived and only 10% of teenagers get the recommended nine hours of sleep. Teens need more sleep than adults because they require additional time for their bodies to function optimally. However, numerous factors influence adolescents’ sleep loss including excessive use of technology, early school start times, homework and busy social lives.
The average school start time in the United States for high and middle schools is 8:03am, even though other studies have shown that later start times can reduce accidents by as much as 70%. If you have already been involved in an accident as a result of teenage drowsy driving, you should consult with a lawyer who has been practicing in this field for years and can help you with recovery of compensation in your San Francisco case.