Driving after marijuana use among U.S. adolescents: Prevalence profiles and related behaviors.

OBJECTIVES: The interplay between marijuana legislation, perceptions of risks associated with marijuana use, and marijuana-related risk behaviors is an ever changing and complex issue. Marijuana impaired driving is of concern as legalization continues to expand in the United States. While driving after using marijuana has been shown to be prevalent among adults, little research has examined the behavior in adolescents. The aim of the present study was to examine the prevalence of driving after using marijuana among U.S. adolescents, with an examination of the relationship to age of marijuana initiation and marijuana usage patterns. METHODS: We analyzed data from the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a nationally representative sample of high schools students in the U.S. The sample was current marijuana users, defined as past 30 day use. Driving after using marijuana was the main outcome variable, with analyses examining the association between the outcome and age of initiation and patterns of use. Prevalence ratios were obtained by modeling Poisson regression to examine factors associated with driving under the influence of marijuana. RESULTS: Nearly half of all marijuana users reported driving after use during the past 30 days, and did not differ between males and females. Prevalence of driving after using marijuana was significantly higher among heavy users (PR = 2.8; 95% CI 2.1-3.6). A higher prevalence of driving after drinking alcohol (PR = 1.7; 95% CI 1.5-1.9) was also found among those who had driven after using marijuana. CONCLUSIONS: Among adolescent marijuana users, the prevalence of driving after using marijuana was high. Enhanced surveillance, prevention, and control measures are necessary to mitigate the negative impacts of marijuana consumption and related behaviors.

Narrative persuasion and stigma: Using news accounts to denormalize texting while driving.

Despite nearly universal texting while driving bans in U.S. states, distracted driving still poses a major risk for American motorists and pedestrians on a daily basis. We argue texting while driving behavior, due to its cultural, social, and psychological motivations, may be addressed by cultivating a stigma to denormalize TWD much in the same way public health campaigns and bans did with tobacco use. While extant strategies may similarly stigmatize this risky behavior, we contend the stigmatizing effect of news narratives offers an untapped and unexamined resource. In this paper we draw on emergent findings in narrative persuasion work to present an exploratory analysis and evidence indicates news narratives, through narrative engagement, can both stigmatize TWD behavior and diminish attitudes toward distracted driving. These initial findings are then validated against an independent sample. If applied widely, this method may be applied to increase social pressure against distracted driving, leading to fewer people engaging in TWD behavior, and making roads safer.

Trauma nation: Exposure to traumatic events among South African university students.

The current study investigated exposure to past trauma among South African students at a historically disadvantaged institution (HDI). The student population at HDI's are typically from low-income communities that were marginalized by apartheid-era policies and few studies have focused on trauma exposure among this population group. Respondents (N=914) completed the Life Events Checklist and a demographic questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify gender differences in exposure. 97.6% of the sample reported trauma exposure. The most frequently experienced traumatic events were physical assault (69.3%) and transportation accidents (64.7%). While men were almost twice as likely to report exposure to physical assault (77.2% vs. 67%; ß=.53; odds ratio [OR]=1.70; p<.01) and assault with a weapon (59.7% vs. 44.3%; ß=.62; OR=1.86; p<.01), women were twice as likely to report unwanted or uncomfortable sexual experiences (32.3% vs. 19.4%; ß=-.69; OR=0.50; p<.01) and sexual assault (19.3% vs. 13.1%; ß=-.69; OR=0.50; p<.01). It is recommended that psycho-education on trauma be included in orientation programmes and mental health screening and early referrals for psychological services be implemented.

Work overload and risk behaviors in motorcyclists / Sobrecarga de trabajo y comportamientos de riesgo en motociclistas / Sobrecarga de trabalho e comportamentos de risco em motociclistas

ABSTRACT Objective: to analyze the association between work overload and risk behaviors adopted by motorcyclists. Method: a cross-sectional study of injured motorcycle drivers hospitalized at the Hospital da Restauração Governador Paulo Guerra in the city of Recife, PE, from May to September 2016. A questionnaire was applied containing sociodemographic variables related to work overload and risk behaviors adoption. Odds Ratio (OR) and 95% Confidence Interval were used to analyze the association between the variables. Results: there was a predominance of males (97.6%), mean age 31.44 years (SD = 9.50). There was an association of sleep/fatigue at the accident time with difficulties carrying out work tasks (OR = 3.7), feeling tired during work (OR = 4.6) and feeling under pressure to carry out work tasks (OR = 3.5). Conclusion: work overload was associated with risk behaviors adoption. It is believed that this fact can have an impact on the occurrence and severity of accidents.

RESUMEN Objetivo: analizar la asociación entre sobrecarga de trabajo y comportamiento de riesgo adoptado por los motociclistas. Método: El estudio transversal con trabajadores accidentados conductores de motocicletas, internados en el Hospital da Restauração Governador Paulo Guerra en Recife-PE, en el período de mayo a septiembre de 2016. Se aplicó un cuestionario que contenía variables sociodemográficas relacionadas con la sobrecarga de trabajo y la adopción de comportamientos de riesgo. Para el análisis de la asociación entre las variables, se utilizó el Odds Ratio (OR) y el Intervalo de Confianza del 95%. Resultados: se observó predominio del sexo masculino (97,6%), con media de edad 31,44 años (DE = 9,50). Se observó una asociación de sueño/fatiga en el momento del accidente con dificultades en realizar tareas de trabajo (OR = 3,7), sentirse cansado durante el trabajo (OR = 4,6) y sentirse presionado a realizar tareas de trabajo (OR = 3,7) OR = 3,5). Conclusión: la sobrecarga de trabajo se asoció a la adopción de comportamiento de riesgo. Se cree que tal hecho puede repercutir en la ocurrencia y gravedad de los accidentes.

RESUMO Objetivo: analisar a associação entre sobrecarga de trabalho e comportamento de risco adotado por motociclistas. Método: estudo transversal com trabalhadores acidentados condutores de motocicletas, internados no Hospital da Restauração Governador Paulo Guerra no Recife-PE, no período de maio a setembro de 2016. Aplicou-se um questionário contendo variáveis sociodemográficas relacionadas à sobrecarga de trabalho e adoção de comportamentos de risco. Para análise da associação entre as variáveis, utilizou-se Odds Ratio (OR) e Intervalo de Confiança de 95%. Resultados: observou-se predomínio do sexo masculino (97,6%), com média de idade 31,44 anos (DP = 9,50). Houve associação de sono/fadiga no momento do acidente com dificuldades em realizar tarefas de trabalho (OR = 3,7), sentir-se cansado durante o trabalho (OR = 4,6) e sentir-se pressionado a realizar tarefas de trabalho (OR = 3,5). Conclusão: a sobrecarga de trabalho associou-se à adoção de comportamento de risco. Acredita-se que tal fato pode repercutir na ocorrência e gravidade dos acidentes.

Social environment versus cycling competency predicting risk-taking in 11- to 13-year-old cyclists in The Netherlands.

Objectives: From age 12 onwards, cycling injuries begin rising in The Netherlands. A known contributing factor is younger children's underdeveloped competency to deal with complex and hazardous traffic situations, and their exposure to such situations strongly increases after transitioning to secondary school. Little is known about intentional risk-taking as a contributing factor. In this developmental stage, children become increasingly vulnerable because of intentional risk-taking, affecting their safety and health. The incidence, predictors in the child's social environment, and trends of such risks are systematically monitored; for instance, for alcohol use, smoking, and cyber bullying. Such monitors do not include risky road behavior. This exploratory field study examined the frequency of intentional risky cycling, its relationship with the perceived social environment, and relative to cycling competency measured as the ability to detect emerging hazards quickly.Methods: Three hundred thirty-five students between 11 and 13 years of age (51% male) completed computerized tests of hazard perception skill and surveys on crashes, risk-taking, peer pressure, perceived risk-taking by parents or friends, and exposure to risky driving as passenger.Results: Frequent risk-taking was associated with higher crash frequency. Stepwise regression confirmed that children who more often took risks on the road were also more sensitive to peer pressure, had more often been passengers of risky drivers, had parents and friends who exhibited risky behaviors in traffic more often, and perceived hazards as less dangerous but, in contrast to expectations, did not do worse on the detection of hazards. The predictors explained 28% of the variance in total risk-taking but varied from 6 to 20% depending on the specific risk-taking behavior concerned.Conclusions: At least 20% of children sometimes or more often take risks in traffic. Children who feel peer pressure to behave in a risky manner, observe parents and friends behaving in a risky manner in traffic, and have been exposed as passengers to risky driving more often take risks in traffic themselves. These results provide support for including items on risky road behavior in health monitors and to design interventions that address the risk factors in the child's perceived social environment.

Determining the incidence of distraction among trauma patients in all modes of transportation.

BACKGROUND: The use of distracting technology is an increasing source of risk for injury among trauma patients. Both drivers and pedestrians show increased unsafe behavior. The data for prevalence and risk for distraction in trauma has varied widely. Our hypothesis is that distraction is more highly prevalent and widely distributed among all mechanisms of injury and variety of trauma patients. METHODS: A 10-question survey of adult trauma victims at a Level I trauma center regarding distraction at time of event was performed, examining age, sex, ethnicity, education level, mode of injury and role in the accident (driver, passenger, pedestrian, bicyclist, motorcyclist). Multiple-variable logistic regression was performed to identify risk factors for distraction. RESULTS: From June 2016 to October 2018, 1,316 patients were surveyed, and 1,011 (76.8%) patients reported their role in the traffic accident. The prevalence of distraction was 21.73% among drivers, 9.01% among passengers, 16.50% among pedestrians, 20.00% among bicyclists, and 8.09% among motorcyclists. Males (odds ratio [OR], 1.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.26-2.67) as well as all Others (OR, 2.09; 95% CI, 1.10-3.98) showed statistically significant increased risk for distraction. Motorcyclist (OR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.13-0.50) and passenger (OR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.18-0.77) roles during collision were a lowered risk of distraction. Furthermore, Asian/Pacific Islanders (OR, 1.62; 95% CI, 0.94-2.79) trended toward being at greater risk for distraction. CONCLUSION: Distraction is prevalent among a wide range of traffic accident victims, not just drivers. Males as well as all Others are more likely to be distracted. In contrast, motorcyclists and passengers are less likely to be distracted. Further studies to assist in determining effective interventions and public safety efforts aimed at specific at-risk groups beyond motor vehicle drivers are warranted. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Epidemiological, level V.

Repercussões dos acidentes de trânsito: uma revisão integrativa / Repercussions of traffic accidents: an integrative review / Repercusiones de los accidentes de tránsito: una revisión integrativa

Objective: The aim of this review is to map the research on the main repercussions of traffic accidents in Brazil. Methods: This is an integrative review of the literature. LILACS and SciELO databases were searched using the descriptor "traffic accident" combined with "rehabilitation", "disabilities", "side-effects", and "quality of life". Results: 12 articles matched the inclusion criteria producing four categories: "Morbimortality due to traffic accidents in Brazil; "Traffic accidents and the return to work; "Impacts of traffic accidents on quality of life"; "Repercussions of traffic accidents in for the family and society"; "Suggested and/or adopted measures". Conclusion: Traffic accidents in Brazil negatively impact the physical and psychological well-being of victims and their families, worsening their quality of life and work performance, with repercussions for society and economy

Objetivo: Analisar o que versam as produções científicas sobre os acidentes de trânsito no Brasil, no que tange as suas principais repercussões. Métodos: Revisão integrativa de literatura, cujos dados foram coletados nas bases de dados LILACS e SCIELO, por meio do descritor acidente de trânsito inter-relacionado com os descritores reabilitação, incapacidades, sequelas e qualidade de vida. Resultados: 12 artigos atenderam aos critérios de inclusão desta revisão, dos quais emergiram cinco categorias: Morbimortalidade por acidentes de trânsito no Brasil; Acidente de trânsito e retorno ao trabalho; Impactos dos acidentes de trânsito na qualidade de vida; Implicações dos acidentes de trânsito na estrutura familiar e social e; Medidas sugeridas e/ ou adotadas. Conclusões: Os acidentes de trânsito no Brasil repercutem negativamente no bem-estar físico e psicológico das vítimas e de seus familiares, com redução na qualidade de vida e na capacidade desses indivíduos para o trabalho, com reflexos nos setores econômico e social

Objetivo: Analizar lo que versan las producciones científicas sobre los accidentes de tránsito en Brasil, en lo que se refiere a sus principales repercusiones. Métodos: Revisión integrativa de literatura, cuyos datos fueron recolectados en las bases de datos LILACS y SCIELO, por medio del descriptor accidente de tránsito interrelacionado con los descriptores rehabilitación, incapacidades, secuelas y calidad de vida. Resultados: 12 artículos atendieron a los criterios de inclusión de esta revisión, de los cuales surgieron cinco categorías: Morbimortalidad por accidentes de tránsito en Brasil; Accidente de tránsito y retorno al trabajo; Impactos de los accidentes de tránsito en la calidad de vida; Implicaciones de los accidentes de tránsito en la estructura familiar y social; Medidas sugeridas y/o adoptadas. Conclusiones: Los accidentes de tránsito en Brasil repercuten negativamente en el bienestar físico y psicológico de las víctimas y de sus familiares, con reducción en la calidad de vida y en la capacidad de esos individuos para el trabajo, con reflejos en los sectores económico y social

Comparison of US County-Level Public Health Performance Rankings With County Cluster and National Rankings: Assessment Based on Prevalence Rates of Smoking and Obesity and Motor Vehicle Crash Death Rates.

Importance: Health departments can be grouped together based on sociodemographic characteristics of the population served. Comparisons within these groups can then help with monitoring and improving the health of their populations. Objective: To compare county-level percentile rankings on outcomes of smoking, motor vehicle crash deaths, and obesity within sociodemographic peer clusters vs nationwide rankings. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional, population-based study of demographic and health data from the 2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and the 2016 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation County Health Rankings data set was conducted at 3139 of 3143 US counties and county-equivalents. Four locations were excluded due to incomplete data. Data analysis was conducted between January and August 2017. Exposures: Random forest algorithms were used to identify sociodemographic characteristics most associated with the outcomes of interest. These characteristics were race and ethnicity, educational attainment, age, marital status, employment status, sex, and health insurance status. k-means clustering was used to cluster counties based on these sociodemographic characteristics and the percentage of the county classified as rural. Main Outcomes and Measures: County-level smoking prevalence, motor vehicle crash death rate, and obesity prevalence. County percentile rankings on the outcomes of interest were compared in the national context and the within-cluster context. Results: A total of 318 856 967 individuals (mean [SD] individuals per county, 101 579.2 [326 315]; 161 911 910 women [50.8%]) were represented by the 3139 counties used in this analysis. Eight distinct sociodemographic clusters throughout the United States were found. Cluster-specific percentile rankings for both smoking prevalence and motor vehicle crash death rates improved more than 70 percentile points for several counties in the rural, American Indian cluster compared with the nationwide percentiles. Conversely, the young, urban, middle to high socioeconomic status cluster included counties with cluster-specific percentile rankings that declined by 60 percentile points or more compared with the nationwide rankings for all 3 outcomes of interest. Conclusions and Relevance: Comparing county health outcomes on a nationwide or statewide basis fails to adequately account for sociodemographic context. Clustering counties by sociodemographic factors related to the outcome of interest allows a better understanding of other factors that may be shaping the prevalence of health outcomes. These groupings may also aid learning exchange.

Déficit de atención e hiperactividad: su relación con accidentes de tránsito en motocicletas / Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and motorcycle accidents

Los Accidentes de Tránsito (AT) son un problema mundial de salud pública. Existe evidencia de que los individuos que presentan Trastorno por Déficit de Atención e Hiperactividad (TDAH) tienen mayor riesgo de experimentar AT. Objetivos: determinar la presencia del TDAH y evaluar su relación sobre la incidencia de accidentes motociclísticos en pacientes lesionados por esta causa. Método: Estudio de casos transversal, con muestra pareada por sexo y edad con relación 2.1. La población estuvo conformada por pacientes de 18-63 años de cualquier género, ingresados en el área de emergencia u hospitalización debido a accidente en motocicleta y por causa diferente a AT. Fue un estudio de casos, transversal, analítico, basado en la historia clínica de los pacientes, a quienes se aplicó el test de TDAH según el DSM5 y se dividieron entre pacientes que asistían o no por accidentes de motocicleta. Tratamiento estadístico: se realizó estadística descriptiva y para las comparaciones se calculó el riesgo relativo (OR) con intervalos de confianza 95% y se aplicó chi cuadrado. Resultados: 47 fueron casos y 94 controles, se obtuvo una media de 33 ± 11,74 años. El 93,6% de la población fue masculina. Se evi- denció mayor proporción de manifestaciones aso- ciadas a TDAH en los casos respecto a los contro- les (OR=3,00, IC: 95%, p<0,05), siendo el TDAH inatento el más frecuente. Discusión: Los estudios mundiales demuestran una relación entre el TDAH y los accidentes de tránsito en motorizados, lo cual coincide con los hallazgos obtenidos en la presen- te investigación. Conclusión: Existe una asocia- ción positiva entre la presencia de TDAH y una mayor ocurrencia de accidentes de moto. Es importante el conocimiento y diagnóstico precoz de esta patología para contribuir en la prevención de AT en personas que presentan esta condición(AU)

Traffic accidents (TA) are a public health issue worldwide. Every year the mortality rate increases due to these events. It has been demonstrated that individuals with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are at greater risk of having TA than healthy individuals. Objectives: to determine the presence of ADHD and evaluate its effect on motorcycle accident's incidence in injured patients due to these acci- dents. Methods: Prospective, transverse, case-control study with sample matched by sex and age; we evaluated 141 patients between 18-63 years-old. The population included patients who were admitted to the emergency ward or hospitalization areas due to motorcycle accidents (cases), and those who were admitted due to a cause different from AT (controls). Results: there were 47 cases and 94 controls. The mean age was 33 ± 11,74 years and 93,6% were men. It was evident that the cases had more ADHD manifestations than the controls (OR=3,00, IC: 95%, p<0,05) being the inattentive ADHD subtype the most frequent findings. Conclusion: There's a positive relationship between having ADHD and a greater motorcycle accident frequency(AU)

I hurt so: hypnotic interventions and palliative care for traumatic brain injury.

This article presents a case study in which self-hypnosis, hypnosis-assisted psychotherapy, and palliative care strategies were provided within a multi-modal integrative treatment program for a 38-year-old woman with traumatic brain injury (TBI) secondary to motor vehicle accident. Self-hypnosis was helpful in anxiety reduction and pain management. Hypnosis-assisted psychotherapy was beneficial in de-sensitizing many post-traumatic memories, and in managing post-concussion pain, including neuropathic pain and post-traumatic migraine headaches. A variety of palliative care techniques and spiritual interventions were applied to enhance sleep, moderate cognitive deficits, and enhance quality of life.

The association between car accident fatalities and children's fears: A study in seven EU countries.

Children's fear of a car accident occurring to parents or themselves has been used as a concrete example to illustrate one of the symptoms of anxiety disorders such as separation anxiety and generalized anxiety. However, its usage across countries may be questionable where the prevalence of this specific type of injury differs. This cross-sectional study compares samples from seven diverse European countries (Bulgaria, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Romania, Turkey) to see if an environmental exposure, car accident death rate per 100,000 people (country-wide from WHO data), is associated with children's self-report of car accident fears. In this study, 6-11 year-old children were surveyed by a diagnostic instrument (Dominic Interactive) about several situations and asked if they believed they were similar to a fictional child depicted in said situations. Mothers were surveyed for additional sociodemographic information. Multivariable logistic regression was used to adjust for covariates including mother's age, mother's education, single parenting, and mother's professional inactivity. We report a monotonic relationship between higher car accident death rates and the prevalence of children reporting fear of parent's or own accident. Relative to a reference of 3.9 deaths per 100,000 people, children's odds of reporting fear of parent's accident ranged from 1.99 (95% CI 1.51-2.61) times to 4.84 (95% CI 3.68-6.37) times as the risk of death by car accident increased across countries. A similar result arose from fear of child's own accident, with significant ORs ranging from 1.91 (95% CI 1.53-2.40) to 2.68 (95% CI 2.07-3.47) alongside increased death rates. Given that reporting of these fears accompanies correspondingly high accident death rates, the pertinence of using fear of car accidents as an illustration for some diagnostic item for mental disorders cross-nationally appears to be an issue.

Broken lives: Fights, fractures, and motor vehicle accidents among heroin users entering detoxification.

BACKGROUND: The lives of persons who use illicit substances are filled with physical adversities and negative outcomes. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine: 1) the frequency of substance-related fights, fractures, and driving accidents in the past year among heroin users entering an inpatient detoxification program, and 2) to determine demographic and recent substance use factors associated with the most common of these physical traumas. METHODS: Between May 2015 and December 2015, we surveyed 433 persons entering a short-term inpatient detoxification program that reported heroin use in the last month and recorded their experiences of physical traumas in the last year. RESULTS: Among participants (72% male; 74% heroin injectors), more than a quarter (28.6%) reported a substance-related fight in the past year. Multivariate modeling revealed cocaine use, hazardous alcohol use, and younger age were significantly associated with fighting, but gender was not. Forty-five (10.4%) persons reported a fracture in the past year, with 64% of fractures related to a substance-related fall or fight. Additionally, 9.0% reported being a driver in a car accident after drinking or using drugs in the past year. Trauma rates were not significantly different from a contemporaneous cohort seeking alcohol detoxification at the same facility. CONCLUSION: Heroin users, both men and women, lead physically traumatic lives, interrupted by interpersonal violence, falls, fractures, and motor vehicle accidents.

Association of physical activity and appetite with visual function related to driving competence in older adults.

BACKGROUND: Older people are at greater risk of traffic accidents, partially because of age-related declines in visual function, including reduced useful field of view (UFOV). However, lifestyle factors which cause age-related decline in UFOV remain poorly understood. We conducted a study to investigate whether physical activity and appetite status were related to UFOV test performance in healthy older adults. METHODS: Thirty community-dwelling older people (age 68.6 ± 3.1 years, 15 females) were enrolled in this study. Each participant completed the Council on Nutrition appetite questionnaire (CNAQ) and a UFOV test. They then wore a tri-axial accelerometer (Active style Pro HJA-350IT) for 3-6 consecutive days to objectively measure their PA in free-living conditions. RESULTS: Longer time spent in vigorous physical activity was significantly associated with better UFOV test performance when adjusted for age and accelerometer wear time (non-locomotive: r = -0.435, locomotive: r = -0.449; n = 25). In addition, male, but not female, participants with a higher CNAQ score had significantly better UFOV test performance in both an unadjusted model (r = -0.560; n = 15) and a model adjusted for age (r = -0.635; n = 15). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that appetite status among males and time spent in high intensity PA are associated with visual function related to driving competence in older adults.

Errores humanos autorreferenciados por automovilistas de la ciudad de Bahía Blanca, Argentina / Human errors self-reported by automobilists from bahia blanca, Argentina

OBJETIVO: Describir los tipos de errores que referencian los conductores de automóviles que circularon en la ciudad de Bahía Blanca durante el período septiembre 2014 y abril de 2015. MÉTODO: Estudio descriptivo de corte transversal de tipo cuantitativo. Se definió una muestra por conveniencia y se confeccionó una encuesta en formato digital, de tipo estructurada, dirigida a los automovilistas, teniendo como base el "Driver Behaviour Questionnaire" en la versión traducida al español. Luego fue validada mediante el método Delphi. Se analizó con software estadístico SPSS. RESULTADOS: El 30% al realizar un giro, estuvo a punto de chocar con una bicicleta o moto. Un 36,3% sostuvo que por ir distraído, se dio cuenta tarde de que el vehículo de adelante redujo su velocidad debiendo frenar bruscamente para evitar el choque, el 25,3% se olvida de utilizar el guiñe antes de girar o cambiar de carril. El 80,2% usa siempre el cinturón de seguridad. El 11,4% pasa los semáforos en rojo. Un 43,9% utiliza el celular mientras maneja y el 22,9% de los encuestados reconoce que alguna vez condujo por encima del límite legal de alcohol. El 38% se impacienta y acelera bruscamente a la salida de un semáforo y un 62,7% se impacienta y se adelanta de forma arriesgada a un vehículo lento. CONCLUSIONES: El manejo es una situación compleja que requiere de múltiples habilidades pero fundamentalmente una conciencia de respeto y solidaridad sumado a un enfático control punitorio sobre errores voluntarios graves.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the types of errors reported by drivers who commuted in the city of Bahia Blanca between September 2014 and April 2015. METHOD: Quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study. A convenience sample was defined, and a structured digital survey, based on the Spanish-translated version of the "Driver Behaviour Questionnaire", was constructed and then validated using the Delphi method. Data were analyzed with SPSS statistical software. RESULTS: Of the automobilists surveyed, 30% reported having nearly colliding with a bicycle or motorcycle while making a turn; 36.3% said they have had to brake suddenly to avoid a collision because they were distracted and did not realize the vehicle in front of them had slowed down; and 25.3% had forgotten to use the turn signal before turning or changing lanes. In addition, only 80-2% of respondents always wear a seat belt; 11-4% do not respect red lights; 43.9% use their phones while driving; and 22.9% admit driving while intoxicated over the legal alcohol limit. Finally, 38% report being impatient and accelerating out of a traffic light, while 62.7% have riskily passed a slower vehicle, due to impatience. CONCLUSIONS: Driving an automobile is a complex situation that requires multiple skills and, most fundamentally, a sense of respect and solidarity with other drivers, coupled with punitive control of serious yet preventable human errors.

High-risk behaviors and experiences with traffic law among night drivers in Curitiba, Brazil

Objective: To explore high-risk behaviors and experiences with traffic law among night drivers in Curitiba, Brazil. Method: Data from 398 drivers on sociodemographic parameters, high-risk behaviors, experiences with traffic law, and traffic law violations were collected through interviews conducted at sobriety checkpoints. Exploratory-descriptive and analytical statistics were used. Results: The mean age of the participants was 32.6±11.2 years (range, 18 to 75 years). Half of the drivers reported having driven after drinking in the last year, predominantly single men aged 18 to 29 years who drive cars and drink alcohol frequently. Only 55% of the drivers who had driven after drinking in the last year self-reported some concern about being detected in a police operation. Conclusions: A significant association was found between sociodemographic variables and behavior, which can help tailor public interventions to a specific group of drivers: young men who exhibit high-risk behaviors in traffic, such as driving after drinking alcohol, some of whom report heavy alcohol consumption. This group represents a challenge for educational and enforcement interventions, particularly because they admit to violating current laws and have a low perception of punishment due to the low risk of being detected by the police.

Posttraumatic Growth After Motor Vehicle Crashes.

The relationship between sub-dimensions of posttraumatic growth (PTG) and distress was investigated for survivors of motor vehicle crashes (MVC). PTG and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for 1045 MVC survivors who attended the Accident and Emergency Services were examined with the Chinese versions of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) and the Impact of Event Scale-Revised 1 week after the experience of a MVC. A factor structure, which was different from both the original English version of the PTGI and the Chinese version of PTGI for cancer survivors, was identified. Factors extracted were: (1) Life and Self Appreciation; (2) New Commitments; (3) Enlightenment; and (4) Relating to Others. However, correlation analyses indicated a functional similarity between factors from this study and those from previous studies. Relations between PTG sub-dimensions and PTSD symptoms were identified. Results from hierarchical multiple regression analysis and structural equation modeling show that there were different predictors for different PTG sub-dimensions. Findings suggest that different modes of relationship between PTSD symptoms and PTG sub-dimensions may co-exist.