Sleepiness, Adolescents and Traffic Accidents
Somnolencia, Jovenes y Accidentes de Trafico
Sleep and waking habits change significantly during the adolescent years. Many adolescents do not get adequate sleep and are usually sleepy. This article explores the interplay between adolescence, sleepiness, and traffic accidents. The author considers how adolescent sleepiness is associated with a putative sleep phase delay (due to biological and psychosocial factors) and to inadequate sleep habits. Early school starting times significantly increases the sleep reduction. Likewise, weekend delays of sleep schedules alters the stability of normal sleep-wake patterns. The consequent sleep deprivation interferes with daytime functioning by provoking daytime sleepiness. This, in turn, may lead to cognitive deficits with difficulties concentrating and paying attention, to mood and behavior problems, to development of major disorders of the sleep-wake cycle, and to vulnerability to traffic accidents. During the nighttime period of increased sleepiness, young people (ages 18 to 24 years) are more vulnerable to traffic accidents. Indeed, accidents due to somnolence (sleepiness) present a peak occurrence at age 20 years.
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Availability:
- Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00920038
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Authors:
- Ramos, M J
- Publication Date: 2002-6
Language
- Spanish
Media Info
- Media Type: Print
- Features: References;
- Pagination: 8p
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Serial:
- Vigilia-Sueno
- Volume: 14
- Issue Number: Suppl 1
- Publisher: Fundacion Sueno-Vigilia
- ISSN: 0092-0038
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Adolescents; Automobile driving; Fatigue (Physiological condition); Risk assessment; Sleep deprivation; Sleep disorders; Teenage drivers; Traffic crashes; Young adults
- Uncontrolled Terms: Sleep-wake periods; Somnolence
- Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01002936
- Record Type: Publication
- Files: TRIS
- Created Date: Aug 23 2005 11:26AM