The Don’t Drive Drowsy Foundation and Start School Later are urging Michigan parents, educators and policymakers to take a closer look at start times, teen sleep and road safety.
Sixteen to 20-year-old drivers in the state were involved in more than 45,000 crashes and more than 130 fatalities in 2023, according to state data.
Katherine Nitz, Start School Later's media relations coordinator, said major medical groups recommend that high schools start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. to align with teens’ natural sleep cycles.
"They need that early morning sleep in order to learn and to grow," she said, "so a teenager waking up at 6 a.m. is the equivalent of an adult waking up at 4 a.m."
This year, the groups are also working with transportation agencies in 30 states, including Michigan, to display prevention messages on highway signs.
However, not everyone supports the shift. Some argue later start times could disrupt bus routes and after-school activities, as well as create scheduling headaches for families and districts alike.
Research from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also shows that delaying high school start times can reduce teen driver crash rates.
Nitz said the connection between early school schedules and teen car crashes is often overlooked.
"So you have least experienced drivers who are still sleepy. Their bodies really aren't awake to learn, let alone to be operating an automobile," she said, "and so the results are devastating."
She said states such as California have already seen fewer absences and better student performance since changing start times.
