Fast Driving High School

In 2015 alone, 2,333 teens were killed and 235,845 were injured in motor vehicle crashes (“Motor Vehicle Safety”), but could those numbers dramatically decrease just by starting school later? Fred Danner and Barbara Phillips back-up this assertion in their scientific article, “Adolescent Sleep, School Start Times, and Teen Motor Vehicle Crashes.” In the essay, Danner and Phillips expound upon the results of various experiments that support the argument that later school start times will result in fewer crashes. Copious amounts of facts and statistics are utilized to further their argumentative appeal; however, much of the article’s logic is fallacious and weak. While Danner and Phillips successfully make use of logical and ethical appeals,

Almost 10% of U.S. high schools start before 7:30 a.m. Over 20% of middle schools start class at 7:45 a.m. or earlier. This is leaving students everywhere overwhelmed and tired. This can lead to tremendous effects on their health and grades. Research shows that only do later start times improve those things, but ends up increasing the school's yearly income in the long run. For these reasons, schools should make their hours later because it can affect students grades and health in a positive way.

As children’s doctor and sleep expert Daniel Lewin stated, “The call for later school start times is an essential movement for keeping tweens and teens healthy.” Several reasons why school hours are unjust due to early start times include first, students not being able to focus as easily in class. Next, students also cannot participate to their full capability when their mind and body are not rested properly. Also, recent studies have concluded that teenagers cause more automobile accidents on their way to school, due to being sleep deprived. A negative perspective considering a later school start revolves around the idea that through history school hours have consistently ended before a specific time. This seems to support the fact that “after school

Each year, exhausted teenagers leave themselves to another day of battling their bodies clocks so they can get in class on time. It's outstanding that teenagers who don't get eight hours of rest a night confronts a large number of issues. That is the reason why both the American Institute of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control recommend shifting middle- and high-school start times to 8:30 a.m or later. However, during 2011-2012 school year, the latest statistics accessible — just 17.7 % of the national public middle, high and combined schools met the 8:30 a.m. rule, and almost 40% began before 8 a.m. In California, the normal start time was 8:07 a.m.

Having a later start time for schools would result in an increase in safety in students. One risk that occur when schools start earlier, is the risk of students driving to school while still sleepy. This can result in life threatening car crashes if a student falls asleep behind the wheel. Studies provided by The Encyclopedia of School Health show that the average crash rate of teen drivers went down drastically with school districts that started later. Specifically, the research showed that “the average crash rate for teenage drivers dropped 16.5% in 2 years” (“School Start Times”). Another danger that is brought up with the safety of tired students, is their awareness when crossing streets and busy areas. While those who are tired can still look and check multiple

This would also minimize crashes during morning commutes. This is because many teens drive themselves to school are inexperienced. If they are drowsy when driving, they could endanger themselves and the people around them. According to an article by Fred Danner and Barbra Phillips, delaying school start times may decrease the risk of motor vehicle crashes.

Starting schools later, even as early as 8:30 am would reduce the amount of car crashes that high schooler and buses have because since it is later in the morning, when teenagers can get more sleep and they have less fatigue and sleep deprivation so they can focus on the road. Sleep deprivation impairs the brain to be able to be alert, pay attention, solve problems and cope with stress. If schools started as early as an hour later than students would get more sleep and this would result in many beneficial and positive things for the brain like alertness and ability to concentrate. CDC also reports that 70% of high school teens sleep for 7 hours or less. Teens need to sleep for at least 8-10 hours, this is because the teenage brain produces the sleep-inducing hormone called melatonin at a delayed schedule.

Since many schools start before 8am, students are falling short on their sleep. This can have serious consequences. A big safety concern is tired teens behind the wheel. Not enough sleep can create inattentive drivers. Also, fifty-five percent of teens with sleep loss turn out to be alcoholics.

According to many of the nation’s pediatricians, schools that start classes before 8:30am are threatening children’s health, academic performance and

Getting up out of bed in the morning can be a struggle for teenagers, especially those who did not get enough sleep that night. Once they are up the teenagers drag their feet to get ready for school because they are tired. The teenagers old enough to drive are the ones most at risk because they drive half asleep to school, which greatly increases their already high chances of crashing. Studies say, “In the United States, the fatal crash rate per mile driven for 16-19 year-olds is nearly 3 times the rate for drivers ages 20 and over. Risk is highest at ages 16-17. In fact, the fatal crash rate per mile driven is nearly twice as high for 16-17 year-olds as it is for 18-19 year-olds” (Teenagers). Higher statistics would be possible if the study was focused on only teenagers who drive to school tired. Students chances of getting in a crash would skyrocket. Studies also say “teen drivers who start class earlier in the morning are involved in significantly more motor vehicle accidents than peers with a later high school start time (Teens). The opposing side may say that school needs to start on time because that is when the bus needs to pick the students up or that teens should not go unsupervised. Driving tired is not the only safety concern regarding their child or children. What the other side does not realize is that not only can later school start times solve the issue of hazardous driving, but later start times can also

Beep Beep Beep Beep. It is 5:30 A.M, you were up late last night working on an atrocious math assignment; and all you want is to roll over and ignore that you have to go catch the bus at 7:15 A.M. Sometimes, you’re lucky enough to get a ride or drive to school and get an extra five or ten minutes of sleep, while still making it to first hour in time for the pledge of allegiance. Then, by the time second hour rolls around it is only 8:30 A.M. This example shows school start times are affecting the teenagers and preteenagers of our generation. These early school start times are beginning to create a decrease in students grades, concentration levels, tardiness, absences, and the amount of sleep the students are getting each night. For the first time, the federal Center for Disease Control and Prevention is urging education policy makers to start middle and high schools later in the morning. The idea is to improve the students sleep and concentration levels during school. As you can see, high schools and middle schools should start later in the morning.

The drowsiness of adolescents contributes to over 100,000 crashes per year. Students being drowsy is from being sleep deprived from the early school start times and that is one of the reasons why they get no sleep. Schools shouldn’t be starting early in the morning because it affects adolescents mental and physical health, their academic performance and it doesn’t let them get the recommended amount of sleep.

Young people who do not get enough sleep can become depressed, carry risks for drowsy driving, and lower performance level (Backgrounder: Later School Start Times). There are many teenagers who are depressed all over the country. Pushing back the time school starts can lower the depression rate among teenagers. Also, not getting enough sleep can increase the urge to drink alcohol and use of caffeine and nicotine (Backgrounder: Later School Start Times). Teens drinking alcohol can lead to many dangerous outcomes such as, death or being hospitalized. Parents should not have to deal with the risk behaviors of their kids caused by the insufficient amount of sleep from school hours. Drowsy driving has caused more than 100,000 car crashes per a year. This creates a hazardous environment to the surrounding community. It could possibly lead to the death other of others or destruction of the vehicle. Many teenagers have to drive to work or activities regardless of if they are tired or not (Backgrounder: Later School Start times). Therefore, to reduce depression and the risk behaviors of teenagers, school should start

Research has shown that early school start times don’t support adolescent’ sleep needs whereas later school start times have positive effects on mental, physical, and emotional health as well as academic performance. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention along with scientists have advised school boards and administrators to change their school’s start time to 8:30 a.m.. Despite advisements, 83% of schools nationwide begin classes before 8:30 a.m.

Every morning students in the United States feel the effects the early start time many schools have implemented. These students are lethargic and inattentive, due to the lack of sleep they are getting every night. Typically, adults see these characteristics as the result of teenagers staying up late watching Netflix or using their cell phones. Many reputable organizations, such as the Centers for Disease Control and the American Academy of Pediatrics, have researched this problem and found that teenagers are lacking in sleep due to biological and physiological changes that are occurring within their brains. These shifts cause students to be more inattentive and reckless, resulting in lower grades, tardiness, and higher rates of car