C Dang1, C Hamelin2, C Salomon3, F Lert4. 1. Service de médecine légale, hôpital Jean-Verdier, avenue du 14-Juillet, 93140 Bondy, France. Electronic address: catherine.dang@aphp.fr. 2. Laboratoire Printemps, université de Versailles-Saint-Quentin, 78035 Versailles-Saint-Quentin, France; Inserm CESP U1018, hôpital Paul-Brousse, 94800 Villejuif, France. 3. Inserm CESP U1018, hôpital Paul-Brousse, 94800 Villejuif, France; CSU-Cresppa, CNRS-université Paris 8, 75849 Paris, France. 4. Inserm CESP U1018, hôpital Paul-Brousse, 94800 Villejuif, France.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: New Caledonia has one of the highest global rates of death from road accidents: 240 deaths per million inhabitants in 2011 with a majority of young people. However, research on driving behaviors has remained rare. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey based on face-to-face questionnaire with 1400 male and female youth aged 16 to 25 was conducted in 2007. It was used to measure the frequency of accidents and to compute a score of driving behaviors and their associations with socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyles as well as other health behaviors. RESULTS - CONCLUSION: A total of 10.6% of boys and 6.5% of girls reported a car accident in the previous twelve months period. Among male participants risky driving behavior was associated with having a degree (ORa=2, 95% CI [1.1-3.8]), sport practices (ORa=3.7, 95% CI [1.9-7.05]), involvement in a fight in the last twelve months (ORa=2.2, 95% CI [1.4-3.4]) and precocity of cannabis use (ORa=1.8, 95% CI [1.2-2.8]). Youth living in couple and those with children presented with higher risk-taking scores. Among female participants, young age at cannabis initiation (ORa=3.1, 95% CI [1.5-6.4]) and at sexual debut (ORa=2.4, 95% CI [1.1-5.1]) were associated with driving risk-taking. Finally, younger age at first alcohol intoxication was associated with risky behavior on the road in both sexes. These results highlighted the multidimensional nature of risk-taking behaviors on the road and showed that they are part of, for boys and girls, a larger pattern of risky behaviors. Such results suggest to include behaviors on the road in a comprehensive approach of prevention.
BACKGROUND: New Caledonia has one of the highest global rates of death from road accidents: 240 deaths per million inhabitants in 2011 with a majority of young people. However, research on driving behaviors has remained rare. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey based on face-to-face questionnaire with 1400 male and female youth aged 16 to 25 was conducted in 2007. It was used to measure the frequency of accidents and to compute a score of driving behaviors and their associations with socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyles as well as other health behaviors. RESULTS - CONCLUSION: A total of 10.6% of boys and 6.5% of girls reported a car accident in the previous twelve months period. Among male participants risky driving behavior was associated with having a degree (ORa=2, 95% CI [1.1-3.8]), sport practices (ORa=3.7, 95% CI [1.9-7.05]), involvement in a fight in the last twelve months (ORa=2.2, 95% CI [1.4-3.4]) and precocity of cannabis use (ORa=1.8, 95% CI [1.2-2.8]). Youth living in couple and those with children presented with higher risk-taking scores. Among female participants, young age at cannabis initiation (ORa=3.1, 95% CI [1.5-6.4]) and at sexual debut (ORa=2.4, 95% CI [1.1-5.1]) were associated with driving risk-taking. Finally, younger age at first alcohol intoxication was associated with risky behavior on the road in both sexes. These results highlighted the multidimensional nature of risk-taking behaviors on the road and showed that they are part of, for boys and girls, a larger pattern of risky behaviors. Such results suggest to include behaviors on the road in a comprehensive approach of prevention.