The Driver Behaviour Questionnaire as a predictor of accidents: a meta-analysis

Introduction

Through a meta-analysis, this study investigated the relation of errors and violations from the Driver Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ) to accident involvement.

Method

We identified 174 studies using the DBQ, and a correlation of self-reported accidents with errors could be established in 32 samples and with violations in 42 samples.

Results

The results showed that violations predicted accidents with an overall correlation of .13 when based on zero-order effects reported in tabular form, and with an overall correlation of .07 for effects reported in multivariate analysis, in tables reporting only significant effects, or in the text of a study. Errors predicted accidents with overall correlations of .10 and .06, respectively. The meta-analysis also showed that errors and violations correlated negatively with age and positively with exposure, and that males reported fewer errors and more violations than females. Supplementary analyses were conducted focusing on the moderating role of age, and on predicting accidents prospectively and retrospectively. Potential sources of bias are discussed, such as publication bias, measurement error, and consistency motif.

Impact on Industry

The DBQ is a prominent measurement scale to examine drivers’ self-reported aberrant behaviors. The present study provides information about the validity of the DBQ and therefore has strong relevance for researchers and road safety practitioners who seek to obtain insight into driving behaviors of a population of interest.     

Environmental and public health co-benefits of consumer switches to immunity-supporting food

During COVID-19, there has been a surge in public interest for information on immunity-boosting foods. There is little scientific support for immunity-supporting properties of specific foods, but strong evidence for food choice impacts on other health outcomes (e.g. risk of non-communicable disease) and environmental sustainability. Here, we relate online recommendations for “immunity-boosting” foods across five continents to their environmental and human health impacts. More frequently recommended food items and groups are plant based and have lower land use and greenhouse gas emission impacts plus more positive health outcomes (reducing relative risks of mortality or chronic diet-related diseases) per serving of food. We identify trade-offs between environmental outcomes of increasing consumption of recommended food items, with aquatic environment impacts increasing with food recommendation frequency. People’s reliance on the Internet for health information creates an opportunity to consolidate behaviour change towards consuming foods with multiple co-benefits. Our study identifies win–win options for nudging online information-seeking behaviour towards more sustainable choices for terrestrial biodiversity conservation and human health.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13280-021-01693-w.     

Influence of anthropogenic stress on fitness and behaviour of a key-species of estuarine ecosystems, the ragworm Nereis diversicolor

Fitness, (biometric measurements, reproduction) and behaviour that are ecologically relevant biomarkers in assessing the quality of estuarine sediments were studied by comparing the responses of the polychaete worm Nereis diversicolor - a key species in estuaries - along a pollution gradient. Intersite differences were shown for all the measured parameters: size-weight relationships, energy reserves as glycogen and lipids, sexual maturation patterns, total number of oocytes per female, total and relative fecundity, burrowing behaviour. The physiological and behavioural status of N. diversicolor was consistently disturbed in the larger, most contaminated estuaries (Loire and Seine, Fr.) compared to reference sites (Bay of Bourgneuf, Goyen estuary, Fr.). Many classes of potentially toxic chemicals present in these estuaries most likely contribute to these impairments but food availability may act as a confounding factor, interfering with the potential impact of contaminants.     

Behavioural and biochemical responses of two marine invertebrates Scrobicularia plana and Hediste diversicolor to copper oxide nanoparticles

Engineered nano-sized Cu oxide particles are extensively used in diverse applications. Because aquatic environments are the ultimate “sink” for all contaminants, it is expected that nanoparticles (NP) will follow the same fate. In this study, two marine invertebrates Scrobicularia plana and Hediste diversicolor were chosen as ecotoxicological models. The aim was to evaluate behavioural (burrowing kinetics, feeding rate) and biochemical (biomarkers) responses of S. plana and H. diversicolor exposed in the laboratory to Cu (10 μg L⁻¹) added in natural seawater either in the form of engineered nanoparticles (NPs) of CuO or as dissolved Cu in 2% HNO₃. Exposure was characterized by considering (i) the physico-chemical fate of NP (ii) the fraction of labile Cu in experimental media and (iii) Cu bioaccumulation. Results showed high aggregation of CuO NPs in seawater and no additional bioavailable Cu concentrations. Behavioural impairments were observed in S. plana exposed to CuO NPs or soluble Cu whereas in H. diversicolor, only the exposure to soluble Cu led to a burrowing decrease. No obvious neurotoxicity effects were revealed since in both species, no changes in cholinesterasic activity occurred in response to both forms of Cu exposure. Biomarkers of oxidative-stress catalase and glutathione-S-transferase were enhanced in both species whereas superoxide dismutase was increased only in S. plana exposed to CuO NPs. Metallothionein-like protein was increased in bivalves exposed to both forms of Cu. Since, no detectable release of soluble Cu from CuO NPs occurred during the time of experiment, ecotoxicity effects seem to be related to CuO NPs themselves.     

Sucralose - an ecotoxicological challenger?

The non-calorie sweetener sucralose - sucrose containing three chlorine atoms - is intensively sweet and has become a popular substitute for sugar. Its widespread use, exceptional stability in combination with high water solubility have thus resulted in contamination of recipient waters. Earlier studies on sucralose in aquatic organisms indicate low bioaccumulation potential and negligible acute/chronic toxicity, but the close structural resemblance with sucrose in combination with the importance of sugar in nature, warrant a more detailed ecotoxicological assessment. The aim of this investigation was therefore to study behavioural and physiological effects of sucralose in crustaceans. Our results show that both physiology and locomotion behaviour were affected by exposure to sucralose. In Daphnia magna, the behavioural response was manifested as altered swimming height and increased swimming speed, whereas in gammarids the time to reach food and shelter was prolonged. Regardless if these behavioural responses were initiated via traditional toxic mechanisms or stimulatory effects, they should be considered as a warning, since exposed organisms may diverge from normal behaviour, which ultimately can have ecological consequences.     

Sandhopper solar orientation as a behavioural biomarker of trace metals contamination

Although many studies have focused on trace metals accumulation, investigations of talitrid amphipods as biomarkers are rare. This study explores the possibility of using the solar orientation capacity of Talitrus saltator as a behavioural marker of exposure to two essential (Cu and Zn) and two non-essential (Cd and Hg) metals. LC₅₀ analyses performed before the solar orientation tests showed that the 72 h LC₅₀ for Hg was 0.02 ppm while the 96 h LC₅₀ values for Cu, Cd and Zn were 13.28 ppm, 27.66 ppm, and 62.74 ppm, respectively. The presence of metals in seawater affects the solar orientation capacity of T. saltator in a concentration-dependent manner and according to the toxicity ranking of the metals (Hg > Cu > Cd > Zn). Therefore, the solar orientation capacity of T. saltator seems to be a promising behavioural marker for exposure to trace metals.     

Behavioural responses of indigenous benthic invertebrates (Echinogammarus meridionalis, Hydropsyche pellucidula and Choroterpes picteti) to a pulse of Acid Mine Drainage: a laboratorial study

The drainage of abandoned mines leads to several ecological problems, particularly the acidification of surface freshwater systems and heavy metal contamination. In order to study the possibility of using the behavioural early warning responses of Portuguese indigenous benthic invertebrates to detect an acute short-term pulse of Acid Mine Drainage (AMD), experiments with the Multispecies Freshwater Biomonitor MFB™ were performed and locomotion and ventilation were measured as endpoints. AMD was collected from the “São Domingos” mine (Southeast Portugal) and the following species were selected: Echinogammarus meridionalis (Pinkster, 1973), Hydropsyche pellucidula (Curtis, 1834) and Choroterpes picteti (Eaton, 1870). For simulating the pulsed exposure, AMD was added to river water where invertebrates were collected and pH was lowered until reaching 3.5. The effects of H⁺ and heavy metals were discriminated using HCl positive controls. In addition to behaviour, mortality was registered. E. meridionalis was the most sensitive species in terms of mortality and behavioural endpoints, followed by C. picteti and H. pellucidula. E. meridionalis early warning responses consisted of increased locomotion with subsequent increase in ventilation, whereas for C. picteti only an increase in locomotion was observed. H. pellucidula showed no early warning responses. This work demonstrates the suitableness of using benthic invertebrates' behavioural early warning responses for detecting spikes of pollutants like AMD.     

Encouraging pro-environmental behaviour: An integrative review and research agenda

Environmental quality strongly depends on human behaviour patterns. We review the contribution and the potential of environmental psychology for understanding and promoting pro-environmental behaviour. A general framework is proposed, comprising: (1) identification of the behaviour to be changed, (2) examination of the main factors underlying this behaviour, (3) design and application of interventions to change behaviour to reduce environmental impact, and (4) evaluation of the effects of interventions. We discuss how environmental psychologists empirically studied these four topics, identify apparent shortcomings so far, and indicate major issues for future research.     

The freshwater planarian Polycelis felina as a sensitive species to assess the long-term toxicity of ammonia

Behavioural endpoints are a good link between physiological and ecological effects. However long-term behavioural endpoints are not uniformly studied over all different organism groups. For example behaviour has been scarcely studied in planarians. Unionized ammonia (NH₃) is one of the most widespread pollutants in developed countries, and is known to alter animal behaviour. In this study a long-term (30 d) bioassay was conducted to assess the effect of this pollutant on survival and behavioural activity (e.g. locomotion activity) of the freshwater planarian Polycelis felina. One control and three environmentally-realistic concentrations of unionized ammonia (treatments of 0.02, 0.05, and 0.09 mg N-NH₃ L⁻¹) were used in quintuplicate. The behaviour of planarians was measured after 0, 10, 20 and 30 d of ammonia exposure. Mortality was recorded every 2 d. Unionized ammonia increased mortality in the two highest NH₃ concentrations and the locomotory activity was depressed in all treatments after 20 d of exposure. Behavioural effect was observed at concentrations 20 times lower than the short-term LC50 for this species. Previous studies proposed safe concentrations of unionized ammonia of 0.01-0.10 mg N-NH₃ L⁻¹ to aquatic ecosystems, but our study has shown that these concentrations will affect planarians. Because planarians play a key role in streams (as predator/scavenger), safe concentrations should be below 0.02 mg N-NH₃ L⁻¹ to protect this species in the freshwater community. Our results can contribute to improve the knowledge about ammonia toxicity to freshwater ecosystems, we recommend that safe concentrations of unionized ammonia should be based on very sensitive species.     

Cultural shift towards sustainability in the construction industry of Hong Kong

Sustainable development is forward-looking; it is a continuous mission for future developments of human society. A genuinely sustainable society is one that initiates developments in sustainable ways. The development of a genuinely sustainable society is supported by its citizens who think and act according to a recognized code of conduct - the sustainable culture. Similar to other forms of culture, sustainable culture of a society is not static, but changes over time. The changes found in a sustainable culture are reflections of the status of sustainability in a society and these changes should be measured from time to time. The resulting measurement gives very important information for decision-makers, in the government and in the private sector, to examine the magnitude of changes that have taken place in a given period of time. The results will also enable them to review and adjust policies in order to better accommodate changes according to the trends of society.This paper provides a method – the T-model, to investigate and measure the extent of change of sustainable culture through two extensive surveys among participants of the construction industry of Hong Kong. The change in sustainable culture is reflected by the change in attitude and practice among construction participants, this can be found in their performance in project development, design and construction operations. The data of these changes are collected and converted to numerical scores. The T-model synthesized these scores and revealed the change of sustainable culture within the specific study time frame.