Investigating Driver Sleepiness and Crash Risk in Young Drivers: A Randomized Control Trial to Optimise Sleep

The intervention consists of two parts, a sleep scheduling component and an educational component. Following a two week period of baseline naturalistic sleep assessment, the intervention group will be prescribed a 20% increase in time-in-bed, to be maintained for a period of three weeks. This new sleep time will be prescribed by a qualified sleep researcher. In the naturalistic sleep assessment, participants will answer will complete the daily sleep dairy for 14 days. During this time, the intervention group will also be asked to engage with a series of educational modules (4 x 10 minute videos covering the benefits of sleep, consequences of poor sleep, strategies for sleep management, and associated learning quizzes). The link for the education modules will be texted to the participants phone for easy access, they can view the video modules at any time but the quizzes will only be tested once and will be done through REDCAP. These education modules were developed by the research team and filmed on location. The overall intervention period is 5 weeks long and a 6 month follow up at the conclusion of the intervention period. The in-car assessment will involve an accelerometer that measures movement in three dimensions This device will be provided to participants during the initial session and will be secured in the boot space of their car. Participants are not required to undertake any special driving tasks while the device is in their car. The devices are programmed to record over the same duration as the intervention period.