Who's not driving among U.S. high school seniors: A closer look at race/ethnicity,socioeconomic factors,and driving status

Objectives: We examined associations among race/ethnicity, socioeconomic factors, and driving status in a nationally representative sample of >26,000 U.S. high school seniors.

Methods: Weighted data from the 2012 and 2013 Monitoring the Future surveys were combined and analyzed. We imputed missing values using fully conditional specification multiple imputation methods. Multivariate logistic regression modeling was conducted to explore associations among race/ethnicity, socioeconomic factors, and driving status, while accounting for selected student behaviors and location. Lastly, odds ratios were converted to prevalence ratios.

Results: 23% of high school seniors did not drive during an average week; 14% of white students were nondrivers compared to 40% of black students. Multivariate analysis revealed that minority students were 1.8 to 2.5 times more likely to be nondrivers than their white counterparts, and students who had no earned income were 2.8 times more likely to be nondrivers than those earning an average of ≥$36 a week. Driving status also varied considerably by student academic performance, number of parents in the household, parental education, census region, and urbanicity.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that resources—both financial and time—influence when or whether a teen will learn to drive. Many young people from minority or lower socioeconomic families who learn to drive may be doing so after their 18th birthday and therefore would not take advantage of the safety benefits provided by graduated driver licensing. Innovative approaches may be needed to improve safety for these young novice drivers.     

Driving concerns among older adults: Associations with driving skill,behaviors, and experiences

Objectives: The purpose of this investigation was to determine what older adults find most concerning about driving as they age and how these concerns are related to driving skill, behaviors, and experiences.

Methods: In partnership with the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration, a sample of 751 older adults ages 65 and older completed an online survey between October 2017 and May 2018. A content analysis was used to code open-ended responses about driver concerns, and multivariate logistic regression models were used to analyze the associations between driving concerns and driving skill, behavior, and experiences.

Results: Eighty-four percent of participants reported at least one driving concern, with 44% concerned about others’ driving, 34% concerned about their own driving, and 24% concerned about driving conditions. The most frequently mentioned driving concerns were other drivers in general, driving at night, visual ability and awareness, and other drivers being aggressive or reckless. Being concerned with their own driving was significantly associated with decreased perceived driving skill and increased odds of experiencing negative driving experiences in the past year. Being concerned about others’ driving was associated with increased odds of wearing a seat belt (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]?=?2.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02, 7.00), having high perceived driving skills in emergency situations (AOR = 1.56; 95% CI, 1.14, 2.12), and getting in a near crash or collision in the past year (AOR = 1.50; 95% CI, 1.04, 2.18).

Conclusions: Older adult drivers are frequently concerned about their own driving as well as the driving of others. Implications for future research and health practice are discussed.     

Heat illness among high school athletes--United States, 2005-2009

Introduction

Heat illness is a leading cause of death and disability among U.S. high school athletes.

Methods

To examine the incidence and characteristics of heat illness among high school athletes, CDC analyzed data from the National High School Sports-Related Injury Surveillance Study for the period 2005–2009.

Results

During 2005–2009, the 100 schools sampled reported a total of 118 heat illnesses among high school athletes resulting in ≥ 1 day of time lost from athletic activity, a rate of 1.6 per 100,000 athlete-exposures, and an average of 29.5 time-loss heat illnesses per school year. The average corresponds to a weighted average annual estimate of 9,237 illnesses nationwide. The highest rate of time-loss heat illness was among football players, 4.5 per 100,000 athlete-exposures, a rate 10 times higher than the average rate (0.4) for the eight other sports. Time-loss heat illnesses occurred most frequently during August (66.3%) and while practicing or playing football (70.7%). No deaths were reported.

Conclusions

Consistent with guidelines from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, to reduce the risk for heat illness, high school athletic programs should implement heat-acclimatization guidelines (e.g., set limits on summer practice duration and intensity). All athletes, coaches, athletic trainers, and parents/guardians should be aware of the risk factors for heat illness, follow recommended strategies, and be prepared to respond quickly to symptoms of illness. Coaches also should continue to stress to their athletes the importance of maintaining proper hydration before, during, and after sports activities.

Impact of industry

By implementing preventive recommendations and quickly recognizing and responding to heat illness, coaches, athletic trainers, and the sporting community can prevent future deaths.     

Changes in risky driving behavior from age 21 to 26 years

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine whether the prevalence of risky driving behavior changed between ages 21 and 26 years, among a cohort of young people. Method: This study was part of the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study, which is a longitudinal study of a birth cohort. This study involved examining changes in the prevalence of risky driving behavior among young adults at ages 21 and 26 years. At both ages, 936 members of the cohort were administered face-to-face interviews, using a structured questionnaire that included items on a range of risky driving and thrill-seeking activities. Results: The results showed that risky driving was predominantly a male activity, but by 26 years of age, many had “matured out” of this behavior. At the same time, the desire for thrill-seeking increased among the males. Among the females, there were few significant changes between ages 21 and 26 years, but at both ages, the prevalence of risky driving and thrill-seeking was relatively low. Impact on industry: These results show that the main target population for road safety interventions aimed at reducing risky driving behavior should be young, male drivers.     

Associations of repeated high alcohol use with unsafe driving behaviors,traffic offenses,and traffic crashes among young drivers: Findings from the New Zealand Drivers Study

Objective: The objective of this study was to describe self-reported high alcohol use at each of the 3 licensing stages of graduated driver licensing and its relationship to drink-driving behaviors, intentional risky driving, aggressive driving, alcohol traffic offenses, non-alcohol traffic offenses, and traffic crashes.

Methods: The New Zealand Drivers Study (NZDS) is a multistage, prospective cohort study of newly licensed drivers interviewed at all 3 stages of the graduated driver licensing system: learner (baseline), restricted (intermediate), and full license. At each stage, alcohol use was self-reported using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C), with high alcohol use defined as a score of ≥4 for males and ≥3 for females. Sociodemographic and personality data were obtained at the baseline interview. Alcohol-related, intentional risky, and aggressive driving behaviors were self-reported following each license stage. Traffic crashes and offenses were identified from police records. Crashes were also self-reported.

Results: Twenty-six percent (n = 397) reported no high alcohol use, 22% at one license stage, 30% at 2 stages, and 22% at 3 stages. Poisson regression results (unadjusted and adjusted) showed that the number of stages where high alcohol use was reported was significantly associated with each of the outcomes. For most outcomes, and especially the alcohol-involved outcomes, the relative risk increased with the number of stages of high alcohol use.

Conclusions: We found that high alcohol use was common among young newly licensed drivers and those who repeatedly reported high alcohol use were at a significantly higher risk of unsafe driving behaviors. Recently introduced zero blood alcohol concentration (BAC) should help to address this problem, but other strategies are required to target persistent offenders.     

A geographical perspective on driving attitudes and behaviour among young adults in urban and rural Norway

Studies have shown that the driver’s risk behaviour is a significant contributor to the difference in road traffic accident risk between urban and rural areas. The aim of the study is to achieve a better understanding of the relatively high risk for rural youths compared to urban youths. A cross-sectional survey with 484 drivers aged 19–24 years is used to compare self-reported risk behaviour in urban, peri-urban and rural areas. A stratified random sample was made to ensure respondents from different area types. The results show an urban–rural gradient in risk-taking behaviour. Attitudes towards road safety partly explain individual variation in risk behaviour; however, they fail to erase the urban–rural gradient. The findings suggest a complex interaction of the system risk (the road environment) and elements of risk-culture beyond road safety attitudes.     

Impact of impulsiveness, venturesomeness, and empathy on driving by older adults

PROBLEM: Although personality characteristics such as impulsiveness have been linked to the driving safety and driving habits of young and middle-aged adults, little research has focused on the role of personality in older driver behavior. METHOD: Using the IVE questionnaire in an exploratory study, three personality dimensions (impulsiveness, venturesomeness, and empathy) were measured in 305 older drivers (ages 57-87 years old). In addition, the Driving Habits Questionnaire was used to estimate driving exposure, and the Driver Behavior Questionnaire (DBQ) was used to estimate driving errors and violations. State-recorded crash data were made available by the state public safety agency. RESULTS: Subjects who reported four or more driving errors had higher impulsivity and empathy scores and lower venturesomeness scores. Subjects reporting driving violations were more likely to have high impulsivity scores. Driving six or more places per week was associated with lower levels of impulsivity. IMPACT: These results suggest that a comprehensive understanding of driving problems among older adults should also include a consideration of personality dimensions. In doing so, the challenges faced in the interpretation of self-report instruments on driving behaviors must be acknowledged, with a move in research toward greater reliance on more objective measures of driving behavior when assessing the impact of personality variables.     

Using naturalistic driving data to examine drivers' seatbelt use behavior: Comparison between teens and adults

ProblemTeens and young drivers are often reported as one driver group that has significantly lower seatbelt use rates than other age groups.ObjectiveThis study was designed to address the questions of whether and how seatbelt-use behavior of novice teen drivers is different from young adult drivers and other adult drivers when driving on real roads.MethodDriving data from 148 drivers who participated in two previous naturalistic driving studies were further analyzed. The combined dataset represents 313,500 miles, 37,695 valid trips, and about 9500 h of driving. Drivers did not wear their seatbelts at all during 1284 trips. Two dependent variables were calculated, whether and when drivers used seatbelts during a trip, and analyzed using logistic regression models.ResultsResults of this study found significant differences in the likelihood of seatbelt use between novice teen drivers and each of the three adult groups. Novice teen drivers who recently received their driver's licenses were the most likely to use a seatbelt, followed by older drivers, middle-aged drivers, and young drivers. Young drivers were the least likely to use a seatbelt. Older drivers were also more likely to use seatbelts than the other two adult groups. The results also showed that novice teen drivers were more likely to fasten their seatbelts at the beginning of a trip when compared to the other three adult groups.SummaryNovice teen drivers who were still in the first year after obtaining their driver's license were the most conservative seatbelt users, when compared to adult drivers.Practical applicationFindings from this study have practical application insights in both developing training programs for novice teen drivers and designing seatbelt reminder and interlock systems to promote seatbelt use in certain driver groups.     

Changes in the sources of distracted driving among Northern Virginia drivers in 2014 and 2018: A comparison of results from two roadside observation surveys

Introduction: An increase in distracted driving has been suggested as a factor contributing to the 15% increase in fatal crashes from 2014 to 2016, but objective information about the prevalence of distracted driving in recent years is incomplete or lacking. The current study replicated a 2014 observation study conducted in Northern Virginia to examine whether the prevalence of distracted driving overall and of individual secondary behaviors has changed. Method: Drivers of moving or stopped vehicles were observed at 12 locations across 4 Northern Virginia communities during the daytime. The presence of 12 different secondary behaviors was recorded. Results: In 2018, about 23% of drivers were engaged in at least one secondary behavior, which was not significantly different from 2014. Overall phone use was not significantly different between 2014 and 2018. However, the likelihood of holding a cellphone significantly decreased while the likelihood of manipulating a cellphone significantly increased in 2018 relative to 2014. About 14% of drivers were engaged in noncellphone secondary behaviors in 2014 and 2018, which exceeded the proportion using phones in both years. Conclusions: There was no evidence that distracted driving has become more common in recent years, but the prevalence of some secondary behaviors has changed. Most concerning was the 57% increase in the likelihood of cellphone manipulation in 2018 relative to 2014, a behavior that has been consistently linked to increased crash risk; however, because the behavior is uncommon overall, the increased prevalence would be expected to only slightly increase crash rates. Practical applications: Although cellphone use was frequently observed in 2014 and 2018, collectively, other noncellphone secondary behaviors were more prevalent. Practitioners and policymakers should continue targeting cellphone use, but also must target other common secondary behaviors to fully address distracted driving.     

The injury problem among older adults: mortality, morbidity and costs

The Journal of Safety Research has partnered with the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, to briefly report on some of the latest findings in the research community. This report is the seventh in a series of CDC articles.     

Driver licensing,motor-vehicle crashes,and moving violations among older adults

IntroductionDriving is important for well-being among older adults, but age-related conditions are associated with driving reduction or cessation and increased crash risk for older drivers. Our objectives were to describe population-based rates of older drivers’ licensing and per-driver rates of crashes and moving violations.Methods: We examined individual-level statewide driver licensing, crash, and traffic citation data among all New Jersey drivers aged ≥ 65 and a 35- to 54-year-old comparison group during 2010–2014. Rate ratios (RR) of crashes and moving violations were estimated using Poisson regression.Results: Overall, 86% of males and 71% of females aged ≥ 65 held a valid driver’s license. Older drivers had 27% lower per-driver crash rates than middle-aged drivers (RR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.73, 0.74)—with appreciable differences by sex—but 40% higher fatal crash rates (RR: 1.40 [1.24, 1.58]). Moving violation rates among older drivers were 72% lower than middle-aged drivers (RR: 0.28 [0.28, 0.28]).Conclusion: The majority of older adults are licensed, with substantial variation by age and sex. Older drivers have higher rates of fatal crashes but lower rates of moving violations compared with middle-aged drivers.Practical applications: Future research is needed to understand the extent to which older adults drive and to identify opportunities to further reduce risk of crashes and resultant injuries among older adults.     

From the CDC: A qualitative study of middle and high school professionals' experiences and views on concussion: Identifying opportunities to support the return to school process

Introduction: Current research recommends that students returning to school after a concussion should receive a return to school plan that is tailored to their individual symptoms. School professionals play important roles in designing and implementing the supports outlined in return to school plans. Methods: This qualitative study explored middle and high school professionals' experiences with concussion, particularly their knowledge and perceptions of the injury and their experience with supporting students with concussion. Six focus groups were conducted with two to four school professionals per group, including two groups of teachers, two groups of school psychologists and counselors, and two groups of school nurses. Findings were coded into four categories: (a) challenges with identifying a concussion; (b) strategies for communicating with students about concussion; (c) barriers to implementing return to learn plans; and (d) establishing a collaborative school support team. Results: School professionals who participated in the focus groups were knowledgeable about concussion and the importance of helping their student recover. Participants also understood the importance of recognizing the signs and symptoms of concussion and communicating with students and parents about this injury. However, the study participants reported various challenges related to concussion identification and management, including the perceived validity of concussion symptom reporting by students. A team-based approach was mentioned across all groups as the preferred method for school-based concussion management for students. Conclusion: School professionals in this study were eager to address concussion in their schools, but desire guidance on how to overcome social norms around concussion identification and reporting. In addition, there is a need for consistent use of written instructions from healthcare providers to help guide return to learn (RTL) accommodations. Practical applications: The findings from this study can help inform the integration of concussion, and other health, management plans in schools.     

Classifying and predicting risky driving among novice drivers: A group-based trajectory approach

Introduction: Classifying risky driving among new teenage drivers is important for efficiently targeting driving interventions. We thoroughly investigated whether novice drivers can be clustered by their driving outcome profiles over time. Methods: A sample of 51 newly licensed teen drivers was recruited and followed over a period of 20 weeks. An in-vehicle video recording system was used to gather data on dangerous driving events referred to as DDEs (elevated g-force, near-crash, and crash events), risky driving behaviors referred to as RDBs (e.g., running stop signs, cell phone use while driving), and miles traveled. The DDE and RDB weekly rates rate were determined by dividing the number of DDEs and RDBs in a week by the number of miles traveled in that week, respectively. Group-based trajectory modeling was used to map the clustering of DDE rate and RDB rate patterns over time and their associated covariates. Results: Two distinct DDE rate patterns were found. The first group (69.1% of the study population) had a lower DDE rate which was consistent over time. The second had a higher DDE rate pattern (30.9%) and characterized by a rising trend in DDE rate followed by a steady decrease (inverted U-shaped pattern). Two RDB rate patterns were also identified: a lower RDB rate pattern (83.4% of the study population) and a higher RDB rate pattern (16.6%). RDB and DDE rate patterns were positively related, and therefore, co-occurred. The results also showed that males were more likely than females to be in the higher DDE and RDB rate patterns. Conclusion: The groups identified by trajectory models may be useful for targeting driving interventions to teens that would mostly benefit as the different trajectories may represent different crash risk levels. Practical applications: Parents using feedback devices to monitor the driving performance of their teens can use the initial weeks of independent driving to classify their teens as low or high-risk drivers. Teens making a very few DDEs during their early weeks of independent driving are likely to remain in the lower risk group over time and can be spared from monitoring and interventions. However, teens making many DDEs during their initial weeks of unsupervised driving are likely to continue to make even more DDEs and would require careful monitoring and targeted interventions.     

A neglected risky behavior among children and adolescents: underage driving and injury in New South Wales,Australia

PROBLEM: Among different causes of injury, roads and traffic-related incidents contributed most to all child deaths. The majority of childhood and adolescent traffic-related deaths are young people killed as pedestrians or bicyclists. Underage driving is a particular risky behavior much neglected. This study aimed to describe some characteristics related to motor-vehicle crashes and crash-related injury in which the vehicle was driven by a young person who was under the legal age of obtaining a learner license in New South Wales, Australia. METHODS: Data used in this study were made available from the Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW for the period between 1996 and 2000. Crash information was collected and reported by NSW police at the scene of these motor-vehicle crash incidents. RESULTS: There were 526 crashes involving an underage driver recorded within the study period. The majority (79.5%) of these underage drivers were males with slightly more than half (58.0%) aged 15 years, and nearly 30% aged 14 years. Among these, 83.6% involved the driver of the vehicle being killed or injured. Among the injured or killed passengers, 128 (73.6%) were nonadult passengers under the age of 18 years. Seventy of these crashes occurred while the car was in pursuit by police. The adjusted relative risk of injury to at least one occupant in the vehicle should a crash occur for female underage drivers was two times (OR=2.01, 95% CI=1.27-3.20) as compared to male underage drivers. DISCUSSION: Underage driving poses a serious problem in terms of crash outcomes. Experimental driving and late-night outings for adolescents should be discouraged. Well-designed studies are required to further investigate the relationship between underage driving and on road risk-taking behavior among licensed adolescents. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: Data obtained from this study indicate that adults, particularly parents, should discourage underage adolescents from experimenting driving and should actively cultivate a positive attitude toward driving.     

Distracting behaviors among teenagers and young,middle-aged,and older adult drivers when driving without and with warnings from an integrated vehicle safety system

IntroductionNegative reinforcement from crash warnings may reduce the likelihood that drivers engage in distracted driving. Alternatively, drivers may compensate for the perceived safety benefit of crash warnings by engaging in distractions more frequently, especially at higher speeds. The purpose of this study was to examine whether warning feedback from an integrated vehicle-based safety system affected the likelihood that various secondary behaviors were present among drivers ages 16–17, 20–30, 40–50, and 60–70.MethodParticipants drove an instrumented sedan with various collision warning systems for an extended period. Ten 5-second video clips were randomly sampled from driving periods at speeds above 25 mph and below 5 mph each week for each driver and coded for the presence of 11 secondary behaviors.ResultsAt least one secondary behavior was present in 46% of video clips; conversing with a passenger (17%), personal grooming (9%), and cellphone conversation (6%) were the most common. The likelihood that at least one secondary behavior was present was not significantly different during periods when drivers received warnings relative to periods without warnings. At least one secondary behavior was 21% more likely to be present at speeds below 5 mph relative to speeds above 25 mph; however, the effect of vehicle speed was not significantly affected by warning presence. Separate models for each of the five most common secondary behaviors also indicated that warnings had no significant effect on the likelihood that each behavior was present.ConclusionsCollision warnings were not associated with significant increases or decreases in the overall likelihood that teen and adult drivers engaged in secondary behaviors or the likelihood of the behaviors at speeds above 25 mph or below 5 mph.Practical applicationsThere was no evidence that forward collision warning and other technologies like those in this study will increase or decrease distracted driving.     

Personality,attitudes and risk perception as predictors of risky driving behaviour among young drivers

Within psychology, different research traditions have attempted to explain individual differences in risky driving behaviour and traffic accident involvement. The present study attempts to integrate two of these research traditions, the personality trait approach and the social cognition approach, in order to understand the mechanisms underlying young drivers' risk-taking behaviour in traffic. The study was based on a self-completion questionnaire survey carried out among 1932 adolescents in Norway. The questionnaire included measures of risk perception, attitudes towards traffic safety and self-reported risk-taking in traffic. Personality measures included aggression, altruism, anxiety and normlessness. The results of a structural equation model suggested that the relation between the personality traits and risky driving behaviour was mediated through attitudes. On this basis it was concluded that personality primarily influences risky driving behaviour indirectly through affecting the attitudinal determinants of the behaviour. Practical implications for traffic safety campaigns are also discussed.     

Personality of young drivers in Oman: Relationship to risky driving behaviors and crash involvement among Sultan Qaboos University students

Objective: Drivers’ behaviors such as violations and errors have been demonstrated to predict crash involvement among young Omani drivers. However, there is a dearth of studies linking risky driving behaviors to the personality of young drivers. The aim of the present study was to assess such traits within a sample of young Omani drivers (as measured through the behavioral inhibition system [BIS] and the behavioral activation system [BAS]) and determine links with aberrant driving behaviors and self-reported crash involvement.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Sultan Qaboos University that targeted all licensed Omani's undergraduate students. A total of 529 randomly selected students completed the self-reported questionnaire that included an assessment of driving behaviors (e.g., Driver Behaviour Questionnaire, DBQ) as well as the BIS/BAS measures.

Results: A total of 237 participants (44.8%) reported involvement in at least one crash since being licensed. Young drivers with lower BIS–Anxiety scores and higher BAS–Fun Seeking tendencies as well as male drivers were more likely to report driving violations. Statistically significant gender differences were observed on all BIS and BAS subscales (except for BAS–Fun) and the DBQ subscales, because males reported higher trait scores. Though personality traits were related to aberrant driving behaviors at the bivariate level, the constructs were not predictive of engaging in violations or errors. Furthermore, consistent with previous research, a supplementary multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that only driving experience was predictive of crash involvement.

Conclusions: The findings highlight that though personality traits influence self-reported driving styles (and differ between the genders), the relationship with crash involvement is not as clear. This article further outlines the key findings of the study in regards to understanding core psychological constructs that increase crash risk.     

Perceived stress,mental health,organizational factors,and self-reported risky driving behaviors among truck drivers circulating in France

Introduction: The growth of the European market for road-freight transport has recently led to important changes. The growing number of foreign pavilion drivers transiting in France, which plays a bridging role among European countries, has influenced the lives of truck drivers by increasing competition, pressure on day-to-day activities, and constraints related to delivery deadlines. Adding this new pressure to those inherent in the road-freight transport sector has raised concerns, especially ones linked to levels of perceived stress by truck drivers. Method: With safety concerns in mind, we devised a questionnaire aimed at understanding how French truck drivers and non-French truck drivers, passing through four highway rest areas in France perceive stress, organizational factors, mental health, and risky driving behaviors. A sample of 515 truck drivers took part in the survey (260 French nationals), 97.9% of whom were male. Results: The results of a structural equation model indicated that perceived stress can increase self-reported risky driving behaviors among truck drivers. Furthermore, organizational factors and mental health were closely linked to perceived stress. Finally, some differences were found between French and non-French truck drivers with respect to mind-wandering and mental health, and to perceive driving difficulties to overcome and driving skills. Practical Applications: Several recommendations based on the findings are provided to policymakers and organizations.