Educating parents of teens about drowsy driving

Educating parents about drowsy driving among teens is critical. Experts suggest the following tips for parents to help their teens stay well rested:

Establish a regular lights-out time that includes a limit on phone and computer use. Doing so forces teens to focus on getting their homework done, rather than on using social media. Setting a time limit gives teens an out with their friends – “My parents are making me get off the phone/computer at 10, so I have to get my homework done.”

Monitor extracurricular activities. Parents need to make sure teens are not so over-involved that they do not have any time to relax and unwind. When that happens, they are likely to have trouble falling asleep.

Keep tabs on caffeine. While soda consumption by teens is down, they are drinking more caffeinated beverages, including coffee, iced tea and energy drinks that can remain in the system for up to eight hours and affect sleep.

Seek professional help if a teen simply is not sleeping or sleeping too much. A change in sleep patterns is one of the first symptoms of depression.

To view the full GHSA report visit: http://www. ghsa.org/resources/wake-call-understanding- drowsy-driving-and-what-states-can-do