Sleep Loss and Motor Vehicle Crash Correlation Survey in Adolescents
School Name
Chapin High School
Grade Level
11th Grade
Presentation Topic
Physiology and Health
Presentation Type
Non-Mentored
Abstract
Motor vehicle accidents are the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, with more than half of 1.3 annual deaths being young adults aged 15 to 44. Teens aged between 14 and 17 years old are recommended to get between 8 and 10 hours of sleep every night, but due to schoolwork, practices, and other commitments many teens do not get enough sleep, leaving them sleep deprived. Getting less than the recommended 8 to 10 hours of sleep can cause symptoms such as drowsiness, slower reaction times, an increase in the stress hormone cortisol, moodiness, impaired memory, lack of ability to process information, and a greater risk of being involved in a motor vehicle accident. Teens at Chapin High School from randomized MAST classes are asked to take an anonymous survey taking into account what would cause them to lose sleep, their type of license, and if they have been in a motor vehicle accident where they were the driver, if so they then rate the crash, and state how much sleep they received the night before. A correlation between the hours of sleep they received the night before and their crash is seen, proving teens are sleep deprived and are posing a greater risk on the roads.
Recommended Citation
Whitesides, Beverly, "Sleep Loss and Motor Vehicle Crash Correlation Survey in Adolescents" (2017). South Carolina Junior Academy of Science. 213.
https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/scjas/2017/all/213
Location
Wall 321
Start Date
3-25-2017 11:45 AM
Presentation Format
Oral and Written
Group Project
No
Sleep Loss and Motor Vehicle Crash Correlation Survey in Adolescents
Wall 321
Motor vehicle accidents are the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, with more than half of 1.3 annual deaths being young adults aged 15 to 44. Teens aged between 14 and 17 years old are recommended to get between 8 and 10 hours of sleep every night, but due to schoolwork, practices, and other commitments many teens do not get enough sleep, leaving them sleep deprived. Getting less than the recommended 8 to 10 hours of sleep can cause symptoms such as drowsiness, slower reaction times, an increase in the stress hormone cortisol, moodiness, impaired memory, lack of ability to process information, and a greater risk of being involved in a motor vehicle accident. Teens at Chapin High School from randomized MAST classes are asked to take an anonymous survey taking into account what would cause them to lose sleep, their type of license, and if they have been in a motor vehicle accident where they were the driver, if so they then rate the crash, and state how much sleep they received the night before. A correlation between the hours of sleep they received the night before and their crash is seen, proving teens are sleep deprived and are posing a greater risk on the roads.
