Francisco Alonso

Driving under the influence of alcohol: frequency, reasons, perceived risk and punishment

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to gain information useful to improve traffic safety, concerning the following aspects for DUI (Driving Under the Influence): frequency, reasons, perceived risk, drivers knowledge of the related penalties, perceived likelihood of being punished, drivers’ perception of the harshness of punitive measures and drivers’ perception of the probability of behavioral change after punishment for DUI.MethodsA sample of 1100 Spanish drivers, 678 men and 422 women aged from 14 to 65xa0years old, took part in a telephone survey using a questionnaire to gather sociodemographic and psychosocial information about drivers, as well as information on enforcement, clustered in five related categories: “Knowledge and perception of traffic norms”; “Opinions on sanctions”; “Opinions on policing”; “Opinions on laws” (in general and on traffic); and “Assessment of the effectiveness of various punitive measures”.ResultsResults showed around 60% of respondents believe that driving under the influence of alcohol is maximum risk behavior. Nevertheless, 90.2% of the sample said they never or almost never drove under the influence of alcohol. In this case, the main reasons were to avoid accidents (28.3%) as opposed to avoiding sanctions (10.4%). On the contrary, the remaining 9.7% acknowledged they had driven after consuming alcohol. It is noted that the main reasons for doing so were “not having another way to return home” (24.5%) and alcohol consumption being associated with meals (17.3%).Another important finding is that the risk perception of traffic accident as a result of DUI is influenced by variables such as sex and age. With regard to the type of sanctions, 90% think that DUI is punishable by a fine, 96.4% that it may result in temporary or permanent suspension of driving license, and 70% that it can be punished with imprisonment.ConclusionsKnowing how alcohol consumption impairs safe driving and skills, being aware of the associated risks, knowing the traffic regulations concerning DUI, and penalizing it strongly are not enough. Additional efforts are needed to better manage a problem with such important social and practical consequences.

Psychotropic drugs and driving: prevalence and types.

BackgroundSome psychotropic medications (e.g., benzodiazepines, sedative antidepressants, etc.) may impair cognitive and psychomotor functions and, therefore, endanger traffic safety (Ravera, Br J Clin Pharmacol, 72(3):505–513, 2011). They affect detection, registration, and information processing, problem solving, and decision-making processes, and they also affect emotional and social aspects. The objective of this research was to clarify three closely related issues that are significant for traffic safety: the prevalence of psychotropic drugs on driving, the most frequently used psychotropic drugs to treat depression, anxiety, insomnia, or any tranquilizers (whether it is a medical prescription or self-medication), and finally, provide a further understanding of the socio-demographic and psycho-social characteristics of drivers related to the psychotropic drugs consumption in Spain.MethodsA sample of 1,200 Spanish drivers ranging from 18 to 64xa0years was used, 666 men and 534 women were asked to answer a questionnaire composed by a set of questions structured in different sections. The only selection criteria were to be in possession of any type of driving license for vehicles other than motorcycles and drive frequently.ResultsThe results showed that 15% of the participants were consuming psychotropic drugs to treat depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, insomnia, or tranquilizers; 13.5% were using drugs to treat one of these disorders; while 1.5% used them for several of these disorders. A 2.5% of drivers were using medicines to treat depression, 2.6% to treat anxiety, and 3.7% to treat insomnia. The 8.3% of those drivers who were not using any drugs to treat these three disorders were occasionally using some type of tranquilizers. Benzodiazepines and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) were the most used type of medicines among drivers. Benzodiazepines were the most used medicines to treat anxiety, while SSRIs were the most used to treat depression, 56.5% and 43.5%, respectively.ConclusionsMeasures can be developed to reduce traffic accidents caused by the effects of these drugs; however, this will only be possible once the drivers and the use of these drugs are understood. Health care professionals and patients should be properly informed about the potential effects of some psychotropic medications on driving abilities considering individual and group differences.

Work Environment, Stress, and Driving Anger: A Structural Equation Model for Predicting Traffic Sanctions of Public Transport Drivers

Public transport is an effective and sustainable alternative to private vehicle usage, also helping to reduce the environmental impact of driving. However, the work environment of public transport operators is full of adverse conditions, which, together with their high mileage, may increase the occurrence of negative safety outcomes such as traffic accidents, often preceded by risky road behaviors enhanced by stress, anger, and difficult operating conditions. The aims of this study were, first, to determine the association between work-related psychosocial factors and individual characteristics of public transport drivers and the rate of traffic sanctions they are subject to; and second, to assess the mediation of driving anger in this relationship. A sample of professional drivers (57.4% city bus, 17.6% taxi, and 25% inter-urban bus male operators) was used for this cross-sectional study, responding to a five-section survey including demographic data and driving-related factors, psychosocial work factors including job stress, driving stress, risk predisposition, and driving anger. The results of this study showed significant associations between work-related factors: measures of stress and self-reported rates of traffic fines. Second, it was found that driving anger mediates the associations between driving stress, risk predisposition, and traffic sanctions; and partially mediates the association between driving experience, hourly intensity, and job stress. This study supports the idea that traffic penalties reported by public transport rates are preceded by work-related, personality, and other individual factors that, when combined with driving anger, enhance the occurrence of road misbehavior that may affect overall road safety.

Knowledge, perceived effectiveness and qualification of traffic rules, police supervision, sanctions and justice

Abstract Road safety is a complex process that not only depends on technical and environmental improvements, but in a major part from human factors. In this sense, recent empirical studies have remarked the need to study the interaction between subject and laws, at the glance of several elements preceding road behavior. This is the case of attitudes, opinions and perceptions in the field of road safety, factors that influence the interaction with issues such as traffic rules, police supervision, penalties and justice in traffic. The objective of this study was to describe the self-rated knowledge and perceptions regarding traffic norms and its interaction with road safety among drivers. For this study, a sample of 1,100 Spanish drivers was obtained from a national sampling process. The results showed that the clear majority of drivers consider they know in a sufficient manner the traffic norms, and consider them as effective. Concerning police supervision, almost 70% of them consider that it is effective, but generally assumes that traffic agents prefer to be located in strategical places to catch offenders, rather than in really dangerous places. Regarding sanctions, drivers conceived the punishment to road offenders principally as educational and tax-collection measures. Finally, the general assessment of justice in traffic provided by Spanish drivers has shown a regular-low valuation degree. The obtained results invite to discuss about the interaction between traffic norms and road user, with the aim of promoting a positive law enforcement as a manner to build road safety culture.

Alcohol Consumption, Smoking, Job Stress and Road Safety in ProfessionalDrivers

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of two addictive behaviours (regular alcohol consumption and smoking) among professional drivers and its relationship to Job Strain (job stress indicator of the Demand-Control model) and self-reported road safety outcomes. Methods: The study sample was composed by 2445 Colombian professional drivers with an average of 38.01 years of age, a mean of driving experience of 15.81 years and, in average, 7.35 hours of daily driving. Participants of this study had a mean of 0.41 road accidents and 0.50 traffic fines registered in the last two years. It was designed a questionnaire composed by three sections: a) socio-demographic data, including items such as gender, age, and driving habits, b) Job Strain (JCQ), and c) self-reported habits related to addictive behaviors, in particular smoking and alcohol consumption. Results: It was found that 20.3% of professional drivers have the habit of actively consuming tobacco, and 27.9% of drinking alcohol regularly. Furthermore, 28% of the sample presents Job Strain. Further, significant trends between smoking and: a) gender (i.e., being a male driver), and b) the fact of having Job Strain were found. Regarding alcohol consumption, two-step cluster analysis allowed to establish profiles of drivers when combining the fact of drinking alcohol regularly (or not) and the self-reported rates of fines and traffic accidents registered for the last two years. Finally, significant differences in Job Strain were established between drivers in both clusters, being the mean score higher for drivers reporting regular alcohol consumption and higher rates of fines and crashes. Conclusion: This research suggests the need for the development of comprehensive interventions on psychosocial factors at work and lifestyle issues among professional drivers, based on the reported rates of the two addressed addictive behaviors and its relationship to adverse health, occupational and safety outcomes.

Working Conditions, Job Strain, and Traffic Safety among Three Groups of Public Transport Drivers

Background Working conditions and psychosocial work factors have acquired an important role explaining the well-being and performance of professional drivers, including those working in the field of public transport. This study aimed to examine the association between job strain and the operational performance of public transport drivers and to compare the expositions with psychosocial risk at work of three different types of transport workers: taxi drivers, city bus drivers, and interurban bus drivers. Method A sample of 780 professional drivers was drawn from three transport companies in Bogota (Colombia). The participants answered the Job Content Questionnaire and a set of sociodemographic and driving performance questions, including age, professional driving experience, work schedules, and accidents and penalties suffered in the last 2 years. Results Analyses showed significant associations between measures of socio-labor variables and key performance indicators such road traffic accidents and penalties. Furthermore, multiple linear regression analysis contributed to explain significantly suffered accidents from key variables of the Job Demand-Control model, essentially from job strain. In addition, throughout post-hoc analyses, significant differences were found in terms of perceived social support, job strain, and job insecurity. Conclusion Work stress is an issue that compromises the safety of professional drivers. This research provides evidence supporting a significant effect of job strain on the professional drivers performance. Moreover, the statistically significant differences between taxi drivers, city bus drivers, and interurban bus drivers in their expositions to work-related stress suggest the need for tailored occupational safety interventions on each occupational group.

Does gender really matter? A structural equation model to explain risky and positive cycling behaviors

INTRODUCTIONnWhile the use of bicycles as mean of transport is growing worldwide, the increasing rates of traffic crashes involving cyclists have turned into a relevant scientific, public health, and road safety concern. According to several studies, and despite the fact that some countries are taking part in preventive actions, the data indicate that the problem of cycling injuries implies high costs for the community welfare, for the economy, and for healthcare systems, thus proving a clear need for solutions. In this regard, and considering the available empirical evidence, risky and positive riding behaviors have gained significant weight in terms of explaining, intervening in, and preventing traffic crashes of cyclists, and some evidence suggests that gender may influence the road behavior of users.nnnOBJECTIVEnThe objective of this study was to examine the effect of gender on cyclists risky and positive riding behavior, considering a set of demographic, psychosocial and bike-use-related variables as potential predictors.nnnMETHODnFor this cross-sectional study, data from 1064 cyclists (61.2% males and 38.8% females, aged between 17 and 80) from 20 countries, responding an electronic survey, were analyzed through a multi-group structural equation modeling approach.nnnRESULTSnAlthough hourly intensity, psychological distress and level of knowledge of traffic rules similarly predict the risky road behaviors of both genders, age and risk perception are significant behavioral predictors only in the case of male cyclists. On the other hand, positive behaviors of men are predicted by cycling intensity, knowledge of traffic rules and risk perception, while in the case of women psychological distress predicts -to a significant extent- positive behaviors. Age had no significant effect on the explanation of positive behaviors.nnnCONCLUSIONnThe findings of this study support the influence of gender in the statistical explanation of risky and protective behaviors, and they also reveal differentiating variables predicting the riding behavior of male and female cyclists.

Distraction of cyclists: how does it influence their risky behaviors and traffic crashes?

Background Undisputedly, traffic crashes constitute a public health concern whose impact and importance have been increasing during the past few decades. Specifically, road safety data have systematically shown how cyclists are highly vulnerable to suffering traffic crashes and severe injuries derived from them. Furthermore, although the empirical evidence is still very limited in this regard, in addition to other human factors involved in cycling crashes, distractions while cycling appear to be a major contributor to the road risk of cyclists. Objectives The main objectives of this study were, first, to explore the prevalence and trends of cycling distractions within an international sample of bike users, and second, to determine the influence of such distractions on road crashes suffered by cyclists, simultaneously considering the explanatory role of risky behaviors (errors and traffic violations) as potentially mediating variables between cycling distractions and traffic crashes. Methods For this cross-sectional study, we analyzed the data obtained from 1,064 cyclists—61.2% male and 38.8% female—from 20 different countries, who answered an on-line questionnaire on cycling-related features, habits, behaviors and accidents. Results The prevalence of different cycling distractions oscillated between 34.7% and 83.6%. The most common distractions were those related to the behavior of other users, physical elements of the road, weather conditions and phone calls. Age trends and differences were also found, thus establishing a positive association between age and distractibility during cycling. Furthermore, the effect of distractions on traffic crashes of cyclists was significant when tested together with age, risk perception and risky behaviors on the road. Conclusion The results of this study support the hypotheses that distractions have a major prevalence among bike users, and that they play a significant role in the prediction of the traffic crash rates of cyclists, through the mediation of risky behaviors.