Later start times for schools in the US could result in a decline in accidents on the road, as people are not fully awake. Experts from the Eastern Virginia Medical School have claimed that a little extra time in bed for teenagers could improve their alertness and lower the risk of them being involved in a traffic accident. Retrieved data from 2008 showed that schools with start times between 8:40 and 8:45 had lower accident rates that those starting at 7:00 and 7:20. These results, coupled with those published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine (2007), have similar findings. These results are potentially alarming, as school pupils are still developing both physically and mentally. Irregular or ineffective sleep routines can contribute to wide range of health problems, ranging from cardiovascular issues to serious mental health problems. Associate Professor of Internal Medicine at the Virginia facility stated: "Increasingly, the literature suggests that this [lack of sleep] may lead to problematic consequences including mood disorders, academic difficulties and behavioural issues."
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