The sex disparity in risky driving: A survey of Colombian young drivers

The prevalence of seat belt use among drivers and passengers: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Seat belts might save people's lives in car accidents by preventing severe collision damage and keeping passengers safe from critical injuries. This meta-analysis was performed to assess the prevalence of seat belt use among drivers and passengers.

METHODS

The databases of PubMed, Web of Science (WOS), and Google Scholar were searched from the beginning of 2000 to late December 2020 to identify studies that investigated the prevalence of seat belt use among drivers and passengers. The pooled prevalence was calculated using a random-effects model. The STATA-v14 software was used to perform data analysis.

RESULTS

Sixty-eight studies that met the inclusion criteria and were suitable for this meta-analysis were identified. The pooled prevalence of seat belt use was 43.94% (95% CI: 42.23-45.73) among drivers, 38.47% (95% CI: 34.89-42.42) among front-seat passengers, and 15.32% (95% CI: 12.33-19.03) among rear-seat passengers. The lowest seat belt use among drivers and passengers was observed in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, while the highest use was reported in Europe and America. Moreover, the prevalence of seat belt use was higher among women drivers [51.47% (95% CI: 48.62-54.48)] than men drivers [38.27% (95% CI: 34.98-41.87)] (P < 0.001). Furthermore, the highest prevalence of seat belt use was seen among drivers (68.9%) and front-seat passengers (50.5%) of sports utility vehicles (SUVs); in contrast, the lowest prevalence was observed among drivers and passengers of public vehicles such as buses, minibuses, and taxis.

CONCLUSIONS

In general, the prevalence of seat belt use was not high among drivers and was even lower among passengers. Moreover, drivers and passengers in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa had the lowest prevalence of seat belt usage. Additionally, drivers and passengers of public transportation (buses, minibuses, and taxis) had a lower rate of seat belt use, especially among men. Therefore, effective interventional programs to improve seat belt use should be designed and implemented, particularly among these at-risk populations in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

Negative mood mind wandering and unsafe driving in young male drivers

OBJECTIVE

Road traffic crash fatalities disproportionately affect young male drivers. Driver distraction is a leading contributor to crashes. Mind wandering (MW) is a prevalent form of driver distraction that is linked to certain unsafe driving behaviours that are associated with increased crash risk (e.g., faster driving). Negative mood can lead to MW, and thus may represent a causal pathway to MW-related unsafe driving. This preliminary pre-post (T1, T2), randomized, controlled, single-blinded experiment tested whether negative mood, compared to neutral mood, increases MW while driving as well as unsafe driving and emotional arousal during MW. It also tested the moderating contribution of trait rumination and inhibitory control to this proposed causal pathway.

METHODS

Forty healthy male drivers aged 20 to 24 were randomly allocated to a negative or neutral mood manipulation involving deception. Individual differences in trait rumination and inhibitory control were measured at T1. At T1 and T2, participants drove in a driving simulator measuring driving speed, headway distance, steering behaviour, and overtaking. Heart rate and thought probes during simulation measured emotional arousal and MW, respectively.

RESULTS

Negative mood exposure led to more MW while driving (Odds Ratio = 1.79, p = .022). Trait rumination positively moderated the relationship between negative mood and MW (Odds Ratio = 2.11, p = .002). Negative versus neutral mood exposure led to increases in headway variability (Cohen's d = 1.46, p = .026) and steering reversals (Rate Ratio = 1.33, p = .032) during MW relative to focused driving. Between-group differences in emotional arousal were not significant.

CONCLUSION

Results support a causal pathway from negative mood to unsafe driving via MW, including the moderating contribution of trait rumination. If replicated, these preliminary findings may inform the development of interventions targeting this potential crash-risk pathway in vulnerable young driver subgroups.

Sociodemographic characteristics of youth licensing at age 17 in the context of supervised driving in Denmark

INTRODUCTION

Allowing young drivers to gain experience while being supervised by an experienced driver is a widely used measure to try to reduce crash risk. On 1 January 2017, the Danish licensing system was updated to allow licensing at age 17 with post-license supervised driving until solo driving at age 18.

METHOD

Based on data from the Danish Driving License register and Statistics Denmark, including the entire population, the purpose of this study is to determine if sociodemographic characteristics and a history of violations and crash involvement among youth predict licensing at age 17. A second purpose is to estimate the time period from licensing until the driver turns 18 and to explore changes in license demand in the context of Denmark's updated licensing system.

RESULTS

An increasing proportion choose to license at the age of 17, but the proportion below 19 with a driver's license is unchanged. On average, the license is obtained 5.3 months before turning 18. Living in rural areas, with both parents, and in a family with several cars and higher income increases the likelihood of licensing at age 17. Young people with a history of involvement in non-traffic-related accidents or violations are more likely to license at age 17.

CONCLUSION

Lowering the license age to allow supervised driving increases early licensing. The average time period from licensing until the driver turns 18 is less than six months. Sociodemographic characteristics predict early licensing.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

Minimum requirements for the time period from licensing until the driver turns 18 are needed to support a safety benefit. Follow-up studies mapping supervised driving, crash involvement, and possible changes in crash risk associated with the change in the Danish licensing system are needed to specify the requirements.

Understanding sexual activity while driving as a form of distracted driving

Sexual activity while driving has been reported in emerging research. Sexual activity while driving is a form of distracted driving because it includes an individual (the driver) who deviates resources from the primary task (driving) towards a secondary task (sexual activity). However, most of our current knowledge about the range of sexual activities while driving is based on self-reported data or media reports. Thus, an in-depth understanding of sexual activities while driving and their interactions with non-sexual driving behaviours and vehicle control is missing. Additionally, there is limited information on the context of where sexual activities while driving occurs and the influence of factors such as the environment, the vehicle, interactions with other road users, and other in-vehicle distractions. To cover this gap, a content analysis of sexually explicit media (SEM) was conducted on a sample of 270 videos depicting real driving. We conducted descriptive analyses and used decision tree analysis to explore the association between sexual activities while driving and their interactions with non-sexual driving behaviours and vehicle control. The videos portrayed a naturalistic driving situation of a driver of a moving vehicle engaging in sexual activity. The results show that when engaging in sexual activity, drivers do not present safe vehicle control. Sexual activity imposes additional cognitive, physical, and visual demands on the driver, thereby decreasing safety. Similar to other distractions, drivers engaging in sexual activity while driving appear to mitigate risks. Concerning the potential for legal sanctions, it appears that drivers may attempt to conceal sexual activity by reducing their visible nudity and minimising interactions with other road users. Finally, mobile phones and cameras appear to interact with sexual activities while driving, by imposing potential restrictions on the range of sexual activities. Implications for policymakers and practitioners are discussed.

Road user perceptions of appropriateness of ambulance lights and sirens use in developing countries

INTRODUCTION

Ambulance lights and sirens use has traditionally been an important strategy to shorten ambulance travel times. This study explored road users' perceptions toward the importance and risks of lights and sirens use by ambulances in Jordan.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was used on a sample of 1700 adult road users in Northern Jordan. The questionnaire included 19 items addressing demographics, driving-related characteristics, and perception statements toward lights and sirens use. Continuous variables were summarized as means and standard deviation and categorical variables were reported as frequencies and percentages. Chi-square test was used to assess differences between categorical variable.

RESULTS

A total of 1634 participants completed the questionnaire. The mean age was 32.4 (SD ± 11.4) years, and 65.4% were males. Most participants agreed on the importance of using lights and sirens for emergency medical services to function effectively (96.5%), and penalizing those who do not yield to emergency ambulances (90.2%). However, around half of the participants perceive that lights and sirens could be over-used by ambulance personnel (48.1%), provoke distraction (48.7%) and create stress (50.3%) for road users. These negative perceptions were reported more often among males, taxi/bus drivers, and novice drivers.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the majority of road users, in our region, acknowledge the importance of ambulance lights and sirens use, about half of them perceive that ambulance lights and sirens put them under stress, distraction, and unacceptable risk. Policy-related and educational interventions might be necessary to monitor the use of ambulance lights and sirens and reduce negative road users' perceptions.

Introducing accompanied driving in Denmark. Safety-related differences between youth licensing with immediate or delayed access to solo driving

In Denmark, the legal license age was lowered from 18 to 17, to allow practice with an experienced driver before solo driving from age 18. The change gives the candidate driver a choice between: a) licensing at age 17 followed by a phase of accompanied driving until solo driving at age 18 (L17), and b) licensing at age 18 (or older) giving immediate access to solo driving (L18). The purpose of this study is: First, to explore safety-related differences between youth choosing the L17 or the L18 option, with a particular focus on safety attitude and self-assessed driving skills. Second, to map patterns in the use of accompanied driving and its predictors as well as the interaction between the L17 driver and the accompanying person (ACP). A sample of 632 drivers (53% male) between 17 and 19 years of age completed a survey. Among the participants 61% licensed through L17 and 39% through L18. Our results identify different risk profiles between L17 and L18. A higher score on perceptual-motor skills, lower score on safety skills and lower support to speed limits predicted L17. Female L17 were more safety-oriented compared to male L17. L17 who had experienced a supportive atmosphere and engagement in complex traffic situations during the drive were more likely to indicate that accompanied driving had improved their driving skills. However, results also indicate that the amount of experience obtained by L17 may be insufficient to obtain a safety benefit. Measures to address speeding and other risk-taking behaviours among male candidate drivers are needed to ensure a safety benefit of the Danish accompanied driving scheme. In addition, requirements may be needed to increase the amount of accompanied driving. Finally, parent guidelines could support the creation of a positive atmosphere during the drive.

Traffic Injury Risk Based on Mobility Patterns by Gender, Age, Mode of Transport and Type of Road

The role of gender and age in the risk of Road Traffic Injury (RTI) has not been fully explored and there are still significant gaps with regard to how environmental factors, such as road type, affect this relationship, including mobility as a measure of exposure. The aim of this research is to investigate the influence of the environmental factor road type taking into account different mobility patterns. For this purpose, a cross-sectional study was carried out combining two large databases on mobility and traffic accidents in Andalusia (Spain). The risk of RTI and their severity were estimated by gender and age, transport mode and road type, including travel time as a measure of exposure. Significant differences were found according to road type. The analysis of the rate ratio (Ratemen/Ratewomen), regardless of age, shows that men always have a higher risk of serious and fatal injuries in all modes of transport and road types. Analysis of victim rates by gender and age groups allows us to identify the most vulnerable groups. The results highlight the need to include not only gender and age but also road type as a significant environmental factor in RTI risk analysis for the development of effective mobility and road safety strategies.

The use of mobile phone while driving: Behavior and determinant analysis in one of the largest metropolitan area of Italy

The use of mobile phones while driving is one of the main causes of road accidents and it is a phenomenon in continuous growth. The key aim of this study is to analyse simultaneously knowledge, attitudes, and behavior toward the use of mobile phones while driving in one of the largest and populous metropolitan areas of Italy, Naples. The data acquired from 774 questionnaires - administered to subjects evenly divided by gender and with an average age of 39 years - revealed that 69 % have used their mobile phone while driving at least once in their lifetime. Among those who used the phone, 63.6 % use it to make phone calls while 75.2 % only to answer them; 49.1 % read messages and only 33.3 % write them. It is also notable that 34.1 % do not stop to answer a call and only 10 % do not value the use of headsets while driving as fundamental. The results indicate that cell phone usage while driving is common in the study population, despite many having university-level education and satisfactory risks awareness. The multiple linear regression analysis shows how knowledge is not correlated to the behavior held. On the contrary, attitudes are strongly correlated to knowledge and behavior, meaning that good attitudes bring forth positive behavior. According to the collected data and statistical analysis, it is possible to identify factors that can greatly affect the use of mobile phone while driving and establish targeted prevention programs.

Pedestrians’ Injury Severity in Traffic Accidents in Spain: A Pedestrian Actions Approach

Road traffic accidents are currently between the seventh and tenth leading cause of death in the world, with approximately 1.35 million people killed per year. Despite extensive efforts by governments, according to the World Health Organization, road accidents still cause far too many deaths, especially among pedestrians, cyclists and two-wheel motor vehicle riders, who together account for almost 50% of road traffic fatalities. In particular, Spain had 410,974 traffic accidents between 2016 and 2019, involving 722,516 vehicles and 61,177 pedestrians with varying degrees of injury. This study uses the Bayesian network method to understand how the pedestrians’ responsibility and actions at the time of the traffic accident affect the injury suffered by said pedestrian, also considering the variables of the road infrastructure and vehicles at the accident site. The results confirm that the variables linked to the unsafe behavior of pedestrians, and their responsibility in traffic accidents, increase the risk of suffering serious or fatal injuries during an accident; for example, if a pedestrian is distracted this increases his/her probability of suffering a severe injury (27.86%) with respect to not being distracted (20.73%). Conditions related to traffic in high-speed areas, areas with no or poor lighting, and areas lacking sidewalks, also record increases in pedestrian injury, as is the case in the age group of pedestrians over 60 years of age.

Are there sex differences in crash and crash-related injury between men and women? A 13-year cohort study of young drivers in Australia

BACKGROUND

Young men have long been known to be disproportionately impacted by road crash and crash-related injury compared to young women and older drivers. However, there is limited insight into how sex differences in crash and crash-related injury changes over time as men and women get older and gain more driving experience. To explore sex differences in crash and crash-related injury, we undertook a sex disaggregated analysis in a large longitudinal cohort of over 20,000 young drivers in New South Wales, Australia, for up to 13 years after they first attained their independent car driver licence.

METHODS

DRIVE Study survey data from 2003-04 were linked with police, hospital and deaths data up to 2016. Sex differences were analysed using cumulative incidence curves investigating time to first crash and in negative binominal regression models adjusted for driver demographics and crash risk factors.

RESULTS

After adjusting for demographics and driving exposure, compared with women, men had 1.25 (95% CI 1.18-1.33), 2.07 (1.75-2.45), 1.28 (95% CI 1.13-1.46), 1.32 (95% CI 1.17-1.50) and 1.59 (95% CI 1.43-1.78) times higher rates of any crash, single vehicle crash, crash on streets with a speed limit of 80 km/h or above, crash in wet conditions and crash in the dark, respectively. By contrast, men were less likely to be involved in crashes that resulted in hospitalisation compared to women 0.73 (95% CI 0.55-0.96).

CONCLUSIONS

Young men are at increased risk of crash, and this risk persists as they get older and gain more driving experience. Despite lower risk of crash, women are at higher risk of crash related injury requiring hospitalisation. These differences in men's and women's risk of crash and injury signal the need for better understanding of how sex and/or gender may contribute to risk of crash and injury across the life-course.

Motor Vehicle Collisions during Adolescence: The Role of Alexithymic Traits and Defense Strategies

International literature has shown that adolescents represent the population most at risk of fatal and nonfatal motor vehicle collisions (MVCs). Adolescents’ alexithymic traits and significant use of immature defense strategies have been seen to play a key role. This study aimed to investigate the possible mediation role played by defense strategies use in the relationship between alexithymia and MVCs. Our sample consisted of 297 adolescents divided into four subgroups, based on the number of visits to the emergency department due to an MVC. We assessed adolescents’ alexithymic traits and defense strategies use through self-report instruments. Results showed that males reported a higher rate of MVCs than females. Higher rates of MVCs are associated with more alexithymic traits and maladaptive defense strategies use. Adolescents’ Acting Out and Omnipotence use significantly mediated the relationship between alexithymia and MVCs. Our findings suggest the recidivism of MVCs as an attempt to cope with emotional difficulties, with important clinical implications.

Socioeconomic Status, Health and Lifestyle Settings as Psychosocial Risk Factors for Road Crashes in Young People: Assessing the Colombian Case

The social determinants of health influence both psychosocial risks and protective factors, especially in high-demanding contexts, such as the mobility of drivers and non-drivers. Recent evidence suggests that exploring socioeconomic status (SES), health and lifestyle-related factors might contribute to a better understanding of road traffic crashes (RTCs). Thus, the aim of this study was to construct indices for the assessment of crash rates and mobility patterns among young Colombians who live in the central region of the country. The specific objectives were developing SES, health and lifestyle indices, and assessing the self-reported RTCs and mobility features depending on these indices. A sample of 561 subjects participated in this cross-sectional study. Through a reduction approach of Principal Component Analysis (PCA), three indices were constructed. Mean and frequency differences were contrasted for the self-reported mobility, crash rates, age, and gender. As a result, SES, health and lifestyle indices explained between 56.3–67.9% of the total variance. Drivers and pedestrians who suffered crashes had higher SES. A healthier lifestyle is associated with cycling, but also with suffering more bike crashes; drivers and those reporting traffic crashes have shown greater psychosocial and lifestyle-related risk factors. Regarding gender differences, men are more likely to engage in road activities, as well as to suffer more RTCs. On the other hand, women present lower healthy lifestyle-related indices and a less active implication in mobility. Protective factors such as a high SES and a healthier lifestyle are associated with RTCs suffered by young Colombian road users. Given the differences found in this regard, a gender perspective for understanding RTCs and mobility is highly suggestible, considering that socio-economic gaps seem to differentially affect mobility and crash-related patterns.

An Investigation into Unsafe Behaviors and Traffic Accidents Involving Unlicensed Drivers: A Perspective for Alignment Measurement

Road traffic plays a vital role in countries’ economic growth and future development. However, traffic accidents are considered a major public health issue affecting humankind. Despite efforts by governments to improve traffic safety, the misalignment between the policy efforts and on-ground infringements, distractions and breaches reflect the regulatory failure. This paper uses the Bayesian network method to investigate unsafe behaviors and traffic accidents involving unlicensed drivers as a perspective for the regulatory alignment assessment. The findings suggest that: (1) unlicensed drivers are more likely to have unsafe driving behaviors; (2) the probability of being involved in a severe traffic accident increases when the drivers are unlicensed and decreases in the case of licensed drivers; (3) young drivers are noticeably more likely to engage in unsafe behaviors, usually leading to serious injuries and deaths, when their driving licenses are invalid; (4) women are more likely to engage in right-of-way violations and to have collisions with no serious injuries, contrary to unlicensed men drivers, who are involved in other types of traffic accidents resulting in serious injuries.

Turn signal use among motorcyclists and car drivers: The role of environmental characteristics, perceived risk, beliefs and lifestyle behaviours

Turn signal neglect is considered to be a key contributor to crashes at intersections, yet relatively little research has been undertaken on this topic, particularly in developing countries. Using a case study of Vietnam, this research aimed to explore the role of environmental characteristics, perceived risk, beliefs and lifestyle behaviours on the frequency of turn signal use at intersections. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to motorcyclists (n = 527) and car drivers (n = 326) using online and offline methods. Using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), key findings indicate that perceived risk, beliefs and environmental characteristics play a significant role in affecting the frequency of turn signal use among motorcycle riders and car drivers at intersections. While lifestyle behaviours were not found to be a good predictor of turn signal use among car drivers, they were found to indirectly affect turn signal use among motorcycle riders through the mediation of beliefs and perceived risk. The findings can help inform the development of more targeted measures to increase turn signal use.

Investigating in-vehicle distracting activities and crash risks for young drivers using structural equation modeling

Distracted driving has been considered one of the main reasons for traffic crashes in recent times, especially among young drivers. The objectives of this study were to identify the distracting activities in which young drivers engage, assess the most distracting ones based on their experiences, and investigate the factors that might increase crash risk. The data were collected through a self-report questionnaire. Most participants reported frequent cell phone use while driving. Other reported activities include adjusting audio devices, chatting with passengers, smoking, eating, and drinking. A structural equation model was constructed to identify the latent variables that have a significant influence on crash risk. The analysis showed that in-vehicle distractions had a high effect on the crash likelihood. The results also indicated that dangerous driving behavior had a direct effect on the crash risk probability, as well as on the rash driving latent variables. The results provide insight into distracted driving behavior among young drivers and can be useful in developing enforcement and educational strategies to reduce this type of behavior.

Investigating the effect of personality on left-turn behaviors in various scenarios to understand the dynamics of driving styles

Objectives: To explore whether the driving style is static or dynamic, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of drivers' personality traits and driving scenarios on left-turn behaviors. We also evaluated drivers' perceptions in different situations to understand the occurrence of unreasonable driving behaviors.Methods: Two self-administered questionnaires were used to calculate participants' personality dimensions and driving style scores, respectively. Two experimental tasks were conducted by driving simulator with different weather, light, and speed of the opposing through vehicles.Results: Results showed that personality was significantly related to driving style. Neither the left-turn response process nor gap acceptance maneuvers were directly influenced by light conditions. In the test area, the average speed and the minimum speed of the left-turning vehicle, as well as the distance of the vehicle from the collision point when the speed is the smallest were significantly related to the weather, interaction type, and velocity difference, and the time to collision during which first brake or release gas pedal occurs was significantly related to velocity difference. Three out of the four driving conditions (except for light conditions) exhibited a statistically significant effect on the judgment of the arrival time of autonomous vehicles and their risk assessment, and personality was significantly related to risk assessment. Moreover, dangerous driving behavior was found to be significantly associated with drivers' driving personality.Conclusions: The driving style is dynamic and influenced by personality and driving conditions. Not only the wrong assessment of driving scenarios may lead to danger, but also the driver's personality characteristics such as self-interest, impulsively, and lack of self-confidence will lead to decision-making mistakes even when the judgment of driving scenarios is correct.

Transfer times and patient outcomes - A review of head injuries requiring surgery in Tasmania 2006-2017

The Royal Hobart Hospital (RHH) provides the only neurosurgical service in the state of Tasmania, Australia, with many patients requiring surgical treatment of intracranial injuries needing to be transferred from peripheral hospitals around the state to Hobart. This retrospective review analysed the medical records of all patients who underwent a neurosurgical intervention at RHH for an intracranial injury over a 10½ year period to ascertain if prolonged transfer times correlated with poorer patient outcomes. A total of 360 patients were included in the study, with 159 patients presenting initially to a peripheral hospital and subsequently transferred to RHH for surgery. A correlation analysis found no statistically significant relationship between transfer times from peripheral hospitals and patient Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) scores at 6 months post-surgery (r = 0.065, P = 0.434). There was also no correlation between transfer times and discharge destination (r = 0.088, P = 0.275). We concluded that patient transfers for head injury management in Tasmania are timely and meeting patient needs.

Driving Behaviors 2-3 Years After Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation: A Multicenter Case-Control Study

Introduction: Driving an automobile is an important activity for the social participation of individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Return to safe driving is usually addressed during rehabilitation, but we know little about driving behaviors in the years following TBI rehabilitation.

Objective: To explore self-reported and objective (official driving records) post-rehabilitation driving behaviors and offenses in individuals with TBI: (a) having passed a driving evaluation, (b) who did not undergo a driving evaluation, and (c) non-injured controls.

Methods: Cross-sectional design with 162 adults: (a) 48 participants with mild, moderate, or severe TBI whose drivers' license was suspended and reinstated following a driving evaluation during rehabilitation (TBI-DE; M = 42.2 years of age, SD = 11.5); (b) 24 participants with TBI who maintained their driving privileges without undergoing a driving evaluation (TBI-NE; M = 36.5 years of age, SD = 9.9); (c) 90 non-injured controls (M = 43.8 years of age, SD = 11.4). Participants with TBI were recruited from seven rehabilitation centers, 2–3 years after the end of rehabilitation in the province of Quebec, Canada. During a telephone interview, data were obtained regarding self-reported driving: (a) habits; (b) self-efficacy; (c) anger expression; (d) sensation-seeking; (e) violations/errors; (f) accidents, driving offenses, and demerit points for the two-year interval predating the study. Objective data for driving offenses, accidents, and demerit points were obtained from the automobile regulatory body for the same period and for the two-year interval before the injury for the TBI groups.

Results: Compared to non-injured controls, the TBI-DE group reported significantly lower scores for self-reported verbal aggressive expression of anger and driving violations/errors. Conversely, their official driving records showed significantly more demerit points for the last 2 years, and a significantly higher frequency of serious post-rehabilitation accidents (10), compared to the TBI-NE group (one) and the control group (none). Compared to pre-injury levels, individuals with TBI had significantly more demerit points post-rehabilitation.

Conclusions: Individuals with TBI may underestimate risky driving behaviors even if they have been deemed fit to drive. Reduced self-awareness, memory, and dysexecutive problems following TBI could influence self-report of driving behaviors and explain discrepancies between self-reported and objective driving-related behaviors. Recommendations for research and practice are provided.

Fast and furious: A neglected issue in health promotion among young drivers

ISSUES ADDRESSED

This paper investigates the influence of mood while driving, advocates for identifying high-risk groups and detects associations between mood while driving and risky driving behaviours. While commensurate studies regarding aggressive driving have confirmed significant detriments in driving performance, little scholarly research has studied the gaps and opportunities at the intersection of mood and risky driving in young drivers.

METHODS

A cross-sectional design was implemented using 660 young drivers (17-25 years) from Australia (34.7%) and Colombia (65.3%), who completed the Behaviour of Young Novice Drivers Scale (BYNDS). Cluster analysis differentiated young drivers across two groups: high-risk and low-risk driving while influenced by mood. Hierarchical segmentation analysis explored the relationship between driver mood and self-reported risky driving behaviour.

RESULTS

Young drivers reported frequent driving while influenced by mood. The typical risky driving behaviours of young drivers who are emotion-affected are transient violations (eg, speeding) and risky exposure (eg, driving tired).

CONCLUSIONS

Risky driving behaviours that have been found to increase the risk of road injury (speeding, fatigued driving) and to decrease the survivability of road crashes (speeding) are inextricably intertwined with the influence of driver mood upon driving behaviour at an international level. Driver mood is a neglected issue in health promotion programs for young drivers. SO WHAT?: Current health promotion interventions for young drivers safety such as Graduated Driver Licensing may not prevent driving while influenced by mood. Additional strategies are required to minimise the exposure to driving while affected by negative mood.

Infrastructural and Human Factors Affecting Safety Outcomes of Cyclists

The increasing number of registered road crashes involving cyclists during the last decade and the high proportion of road crashes resulting in severe injuries and fatalities among cyclists constitutes a global issue for community health, urban development and sustainability. Nowadays, the incidence of many risk factors for road crashes of cyclists remains largely unexplained. Given the importance of this issue, the present study has been conducted with the aim of determining relationships between infrastructural, human factors and safety outcomes of cyclists. Objectives: This study aimed, first, to examine the relationship between key infrastructural and human factors present in cycling, bicycle-user characteristics and their self-reported experience with road crashes. And second, to determine whether a set of key infrastructural and human factors may predict their self-reported road crashes. Methods: For this cross-sectional study, a total of 1064 cyclists (38.8% women, 61.2% men; M = 32.8 years of age) from 20 different countries across Europe, South America and North America, participated in an online survey composed of four sections: demographic data and cycling-related factors, human factors, perceptions on infrastructural factors and road crashes suffered. Results: The results of this study showed significant associations between human factors, infrastructural conditions and self-reported road crashes. Also, a logistic regression model found that self-reported road crashes of cyclists could be predicted through variables such as age, riding intensity, risky behaviours and problematic user/infrastructure interactions. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that self-reported road crashes of cyclists are influenced by features related to the user and their interaction with infrastructural characteristics of the road.

Risk factors of mobile phone use while driving in Queensland: Prevalence, attitudes, crash risk perception, and task-management strategies

Distracted driving is one of the most significant human factor issues in transport safety. Mobile phone interactions while driving may involve a multitude of cognitive and physical resources that result in inferior driving performance and reduced safety margins. The current study investigates characteristics of usage, risk factors, compensatory strategies in use and characteristics of high-frequency offenders of mobile phone use while driving. A series of questions were administered to drivers in Queensland (Australia) using an on-line questionnaire. A total of 484 drivers (34.9% males and 49.8% aged 17-25) participated anonymously. At least one of every two motorists surveyed reported engaging in distracted driving. Drivers were unable to acknowledge the increased crash risk associated with answering and locating a ringing phone in contrast to other tasks such as texting/browsing. Attitudes towards mobile phone usage were more favourable for talking than texting or browsing. Lowering the driving speed and increasing the distance from the vehicle in front were the most popular task-management strategies for talking and texting/browsing while driving. On the other hand, keeping the mobile phone low (e.g. in the driver's lap or on the passenger seat) was the favourite strategy used by drivers to avoid police fines for both talking and texting/browsing. Logistic regression models were fitted to understand differences in risk factors for engaging in mobile phone conversations and browsing/texting while driving. For both tasks, exposure to driving, driving experience, driving history (offences and crashes), and attitudes were significant predictors. Future mobile phone prevention efforts would benefit from development of safe attitudes and increasing risk literacy. Enforcement of mobile phone distraction should be re-engineered, as the use of task-management strategies to evade police enforcement seems to dilute its effect on the prevention of this behaviour. Some countermeasures and suggestions were proposed in the design of public education campaigns and driver-mobile phone interaction.