0000000001025840
AUTHOR
Sergio A. Useche
showing 90 related works from this author
When age means safety: Data to assess trends and differences on rule knowledge, risk perception, aberrant and positive road behaviors, and traffic cr…
2019
This data article examines the association between age, knowledge of traffic rules, risk perception, risky and positive behaviors on the road and traffic safety outcomes of cyclists. The data was collected using a structured self-administrable and online-based questionnaire, applied to a full sample of 1064 cyclists. The data contains 4 parts: descriptive statistics; graphical trends for each study variable according to age; Post-Hoc (Tukey-HSD) comparisons between cyclists classified in the different age groups; and, finally, the dataset for further explorations in this regard. For further information, it is convenient to read the full article entitled "Explaining Self-Reported Traffic Cra…
Work stress and health problems of professional drivers: A hazardous formula for their safety outcomes
2018
BackgroundSeveral empirical studies have shown that professional drivers are a vulnerable occupational group, usually exposed to environmental stressors and adverse work conditions. Furthermore, recent studies have associated work-related stress with negative job performances and adverse health outcomes within this occupational group, including cardiovascular diseases and unsafe vehicle operation.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to describe the working conditions and the health status of this occupational group, and to evaluate the association between the Demand–Control model of job stress and their self-reported health and safety outcomes.MethodsA pooled sample of 3,665 Colombian profess…
Assessing the Effect of Drivers’ Gender on Their Intention to Use Fully Automated Vehicles
2021
Although fully automated vehicles (SAE level 5) are expected to acquire a major relevance for transportation dynamics by the next few years, the number of studies addressing their perceived benefits from the perspective of human factors remains substantially limited. This study aimed, firstly, to assess the relationships among drivers’ demographic factors, their assessment of five key features of automated vehicles (i.e., increased connectivity, reduced driving demands, fuel and trip-related efficiency, and safety improvements), and their intention to use them, and secondly, to test the predictive role of the feature’ valuations over usage intention, focusing on gender as a key …
More Than Just “Stressful”? Testing the Mediating Role of Fatigue on the Relationship Between Job Stress and Occupational Crashes of Long-Haul Truck …
2021
Sergio A Useche,1,2 Francisco Alonso,1,2 Boris Cendales,3 Javier Llamazares4 1Faculty of Psychology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain; 2DATS (Development and Advising in Traffic Safety) Research Group, INTRAS (Research Institute on Traffic and Road Safety), University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain; 3Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences, El Bosque University, Bogotá, Colombia; 4Department of Technology, ESIC Business and Marketing School, Madrid, SpainCorrespondence: Sergio A UsecheDATS, Carrer del Serpis 29, 3rd Floor, Valencia, 46022, SpainTel +34 611317890Email sergio.useche@uv.esIntroduction: Recent evidence consistently highlights the adverse work environment of long-h…
Behavioral Health at School: Do Three Competences in Road Safety Education Impact the Protective Road Behaviors of Spanish Children?
2019
Background: Education in road safety (also known as Road Safety Education&mdash
Alcohol-impaired Walking in 16 Countries: A Theory-Based Investigation.
2021
Alcohol is a global risk factor for road trauma. Although drink driving has received most of the scholarly attention, there is growing evidence of the risks of alcohol-impaired walking. Alcohol-impaired pedestrians are over-represented in fatal crashes compared to non-impaired pedestrians. Additionally, empirical evidence shows that alcohol intoxication impairs road-crossing judgements. Besides some limited early research, much is unknown about the global prevalence and determinants of alcohol-impaired walking. Understanding alcohol-impaired walking will support health promotion initiatives and injury prevention. The present investigation has three aims: (1) compare the prevalence of alcoho…
Job strain in public transport drivers: Data to assess the relationship between demand-control model indicators, traffic accidents and sanctions
2018
This Data in Brief (DiB) article examines the association between the Job Demand-Control (JDC) model of stress and traffic safety outcomes (accidents and sanctions) in public transport drivers (n = 780). The data was collected using a structured self-administrable questionnaire composed of measurements of work stress (Job Content Questionnaire), and demographics (professional driving experience, hours and days working/driving per week). The data contains 4 parts: descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations between the study variables, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Post-Hoc comparisons between drivers classified different quadrants of the JDC model. For further information, it is conve…
Bicycle Rider Behavior and Crash Involvement in Australia.
2021
This research investigated how behaviours and attitudes of bicycle riders influence crash frequency and severity. The study recruited 1102 Australian bicycle riders for an online survey. The survey comprised questions on demographics, frequency of riding and the number and severity of traffic crashes during the last five years. The survey included the Cycling Behaviour Questionnaire and the Cyclist Risk Perception and Regulation Scale. Overall, there were low levels of errors and violations reported by participants indicating that these behaviours were on average never or rarely exhibited while riding a bicycle. Conversely, participants reported high levels of engagement in positive behavio…
Work stress, fatigue and risk behaviors at the wheel: Data to assess the association between psychosocial work factors and risky driving on Bus Rapid…
2017
This Data in Brief (DiB) article presents a hierarchical multiple linear regression model that examine the associations between psychosocial work factors and risk behaviors at the wheel in Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) drivers (n=524). The data were collected using a structured self-administrable questionnaire made of measurements of wok stress (job strain and effort- reward imbalance), fatigue (need for recovery and chronic fatigue), psychological distress and demographics (professional driving experience, hours driven per day and days working per week). The data contains 4 parts: descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations between the study variables and a regression model predicting risk be…
'Not as safe as I believed': Differences in perceived and self-reported cycling behavior between riders and non-riders
2021
Cycling behavior remains a key issue for explaining several traffic causalities occurring every day. However, recent studies have shown how the assessment of the own safety-related behaviors on the road may substantially differ from how third parties assess them. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the differences between cyclists’ self-reported behavior and the proxy-reported behavior that other (non-cyclist) road users perceive from bike riders. For this purpose, this study used data from two samples: (i) 1064 cyclists (M = 32.83 years) answering the Cycling Behavior Questionnaire—CBQ, and (ii) 1070 non-cyclists (M = 30.83 years) answering an adapted version of the CBQ for externa…
To what extent do our walking and cycling behaviours relate to each other, and do we cycle as well as we think we do? Piloting the Walking and Cyclin…
2022
Greater uptake of active transport has been argued as necessary for the transport system to achieve relevant sustainability and public health goals; however, the research tools used to investigate behaviour when using these modes are far less well-developed than those used to investigate driving behaviour. This study takes two self-report behavioural measures, the Walking Behaviour Questionnaire (WBQ) and the Cycling Behaviour Questionnaire (WBQ), and pilots them in the UK. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses with data from 428 respondents revealed factor structures different to those described in the limited number of previous studies that used the CBQ and WBQ. Across both questio…
Effect of Road Safety Education on Road Risky Behaviors of Spanish Children and Adolescents: Findings from a National Study
2018
Background: Road Safety Education (RSE) is widely known as a reliable determinant of the future results for what concerns health and welfare and as an undisputable factor which contributes to the social behavior of individuals and to their mid- and long-term road safety outcomes. However, its development has been relatively scarce in most countries, a fact which has contributed to letting matters as delicate as traffic crashes, largely explained by road misbehaviors, continue to be a prevalent problem, thus affecting the health of the community. Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the relationship between demographic and RSE-related variables and the self-reported road risky be…
Cross-culturally approaching the cycling behaviour questionnaire (CBQ) : Evidence from 19 countries
2022
Given different advances in applied literature, risky and positive behaviours keep gaining ground as key contributors for riding safety outcomes. In this regard, the Cycling Behaviour Questionnaire (CBQ) represents one of the tools available to assess the core dimensions of cycling behaviour and their relationship with road safety outcomes from a behavioural perspective. Nevertheless, it has never been psychometrically approached through a cross-cultural perspective. Therefore, this study aimed to perform the cross-cultural validation of the CBQ, examining its psychometric properties, reliability indexes, validity insights and descriptive scores in 19 countries distributed across five regio…
Are Latin American cycling commuters 'at risk'? A comparative study on cycling patterns, behaviors, and crashes with non-commuter cyclists
2020
Abstract Introduction As part of the transformation of urban transportation dynamics, commuter cycling has acquired a high relevance as an alternative mode of transport in different countries, and Latin America seems to be one of the main focus of this worldwide “revolution”. However, the high rates of crashes and injuries suffered by commuters have become a relevant issue in the field of road safety, especially in emerging regions with low cycling tradition, where social and infrastructural gaps may endanger the cyclists’ safety. Objectives This study had two objectives. First, to compare key safe cycling-related variables between cycling commuters and non-commuters; and second, to differe…
More aware, more protected: a cross-sectional study on road safety skills predicting the use of passive safety elements among Spanish teenagers
2019
ObjectiveThis study had two objectives: first, to test the effects of sociodemographic variables, and the effects of three key road safety skills (knowledge–risk perception–attitudes) on the use of passive safety elements (PSEs) among teenagers; and second, to assess the differential impact of the study variables on PSEs use from a gender-based perspective.Setting and participantsThis cross-sectional study was framed in the paradigm of primary care, and it involved students from several educational centres in Spain. A sample of 827 Spanish teenagers (52.4% females and 47.6% males) with a mean age of M=14.41–7 (12–19) years was used.ResultsThrough SEM modelling, we found that the use of PSEs…
Work Environment, Stress, and Driving Anger: A Structural Equation Model for Predicting Traffic Sanctions of Public Transport Drivers.
2018
Public transport is an effective and sustainable alternative to private vehicle usage, also helping to reduce the environmental impact of driving. However, the work environment of public transport operators is full of adverse conditions, which, together with their high mileage, may increase the occurrence of negative safety outcomes such as traffic accidents, often preceded by risky road behaviors enhanced by stress, anger, and difficult operating conditions. The aims of this study were, first, to determine the association between work-related psychosocial factors and individual characteristics of public transport drivers and the rate of traffic sanctions they are subject to; and second, to…
Availability, demand, perceived constraints and disuse of ADAS technologies in Spain: findings from a national study
2019
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), created for enhancing the driving experience and actively preventing road crashes, have been progressively incorporated in vehicle designing essentially during the last decade. However, the literature has shown how some of these assisting technologies are not used by drivers in tandem with their potential. The aims of this study were, first, to examine the availability and demand of ADAS technologies among Spanish drivers and, secondly, to explore the perceived constraints and discouraging reasons for avoiding the use of ADAS available in their vehicles. For this national cross-sectional study, data from 1,207 Spanish drivers were analyzed. The res…
Validation of the Cycling Behavior Questionnaire: A tool for measuring cyclists' road behaviors
2018
Abstract Introduction Even though cycling is an activity whose benefits in terms of urban mobility and health are globally recognized, its disproportional growth during the past few decades has led to some unexpected dynamics. In fact, the increasing number of traffic injuries and deaths involving cyclists has a high cost for public health systems. Considering the available empirical evidence, aberrant and positive behaviors on the road constitute relevant predictors for the injuries suffered by road users. Nevertheless, the scarcity of tools that measure and evaluate the behavior of road users, especially in the case of cyclists, constitutes a serious lack in terms of explaining, interveni…
Psychometric properties, validity and insights of the School Bullying Questionnaire (CIE-A) in secondary schools of the Valencian Community (Spain)
2021
Besides its several threats to health, welfare, social and academic development and performance of kids and teenagers, school bullying remains highlighted as one of the most relevant related challenges for educational, behavioral and legal sciences worldwide. Moreover, the lack of research on the field and the crucial but unattended need to count on psychometrically suitable and valid tools to detect school bullying make difficult understanding its contexts, dynamics and possible solutions. Objective The aim of this study was to thoroughly present in detail the psychometric properties and validity issues of the School Bullying Questionnaire (CIE-A) among secondary students. Methods A region…
Does gender really matter? A structural equation model to explain risky and positive cycling behaviors
2018
Abstract Introduction While the use of bicycles as mean of transport is growing worldwide, the increasing rates of traffic crashes involving cyclists have turned into a relevant scientific, public health, and road safety concern. According to several studies, and despite the fact that some countries are taking part in preventive actions, the data indicate that the problem of cycling injuries implies high costs for the community welfare, for the economy, and for healthcare systems, thus proving a clear need for solutions. In this regard, and considering the available empirical evidence, risky and positive riding behaviors have gained significant weight in terms of explaining, intervening in,…
Education for Road Safety: What is the State of Affairs in Three Groups of Vulnerable Road Users in Spain?
2021
RSE (Road Safety Education) is well recognized as a reliable predictor of future safety and health outcomes. However, most countries have been slow to develop it, which has contributed to the sensitivity of the situation, as traffic accidents continue to be a major concern for community health. This paper aims to describe and compare key variables related to the RSE among three critical segments of the population, using the data provided by: 477 high school students, 843 university students and 476 older adults. Differential coverage rates were found. Perceived quality, aroused interest and attributed utility for RSE interventions were also compared among groups, finding substantial differe…
Citizens’ perceptions in relation to transport systems and infrastructures: a nationwide study in the dominican republic
2021
One of the challenges currently faced by emerging countries is to get their citizens to decide to use sustainable transport for their regular trips, in order to reduce the current vehicular pollution rates. The objective of this descriptive research is to examine the perceptions of Dominicans regarding the state of the country’s transport systems and road infrastructure. For this purpose, a nationwide survey procedure was performed. This cross-sectional research used the data retrieved from a sample of 1260 citizens aged over 18, proportional in gender, age, habitat, and province of the Dominican Republic. The results showed how Dominicans believe that, compared to other road features, pede…
Stress-related psychosocial factors at work, fatigue, and risky driving behavior in bus rapid transport (BRT) drivers
2016
Abstract Introduction There is consistent scientific evidence that professional drivers constitute an occupational group that is highly exposed to work related stressors. Furthermore, several recent studies associate work stress and fatigue with unsafe and counterproductive work behaviors. This study examines the association between stress-related work conditions of Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) drivers and risky driving behaviors; and examines whether fatigue is a mechanism that mediates the association between the two. Method A sample of 524 male Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) operators were drawn from four transport companies in Bogota, Colombia. The participants answered a survey which included an…
Development of a Hybrid Method to Generate Gravito-Inertial Cues for Motion Platforms in Highly Immersive Environments
2021
Motion platforms have been widely used in Virtual Reality (VR) systems for decades to simulate motion in virtual environments, and they have several applications in emerging fields such as driving assistance systems, vehicle automation and road risk management. Currently, the development of new VR immersive systems faces unique challenges to respond to the user’s requirements, such as introducing high-resolution 360° panoramic images and videos. With this type of visual information, it is much more complicated to apply the traditional methods of generating motion cues, since it is generally not possible to calculate the necessary corresponding motion properties that are needed to …
“Pédaler en toute sécurité”: The Cycling Behavior Questionnaire (CBQ) in Belgium – A validation study
2021
Abstract Introduction: During the last few years, the use of behavioral questionnaires for assessing risky behaviors of road users different from motor-vehicle drivers has grown considerably in applied research for road safety. In this regard, recent tools such as the Cycling Behavior Questionnaire (CBQ) are gaining ground, being adapted and tested in further languages, thus getting useful to address the case of countries whose language is different to the English and Spanish. Therefore, and in order to extend the use of the CBQ, this study aimed (i) to develop the validation of the CBQ to the French and Dutch languages, in order to cover the population of Belgian cyclists and (potentially)…
Compliance, practices, and attitudes towards VTIs (Vehicle Technical Inspections) in Spain: What prevents Spanish drivers from checking up their cars?
2021
Objective Mechanical conditions of vehicles may play a determinant role in driving safety, the reason why vehicle periodical technical inspections (VTIs) are mandatory in many countries. However, the high number of drivers sanctioned for not complying with this regulation is surprisingly high, and there is not much evidence on what kind(s) of motives may explain this concerning panorama. This study aimed to identify the aspects that modulate the relationship between complying (or not) with VTI’s standards in a nationwide sample of Spanish drivers. The study design also addressed the drivers’ awareness regarding different risky behaviors while driving, depending on their sex and their crash…
'Where Have I Heard It?' Assessing the Recall of Traffic Safety Campaigns in the Dominican Republic
2021
Although traffic crashes are the eighth leading cause of death in the world, and are linked to vehicle and infrastructure-related factors, crash-related fatality rates are much higher in lowincome countries. Particularly, the Dominican Republic is the country with the highest accident rate in the whole American continent. Therefore, in the past few years, public agencies have been developing different measures aimed at reducing traffic fatalities, including road safety campaigns. The aim of the present study was to assess the recalling of such campaigns among the Dominican population, which may serve as an additional indicator to evaluate their effectiveness in this and other countries of t…
Are Your Eyes “on the Road”? Findings from the 2019 National Study on Vision and Driving Safety in Spain
2020
Background: Vision is an undisputable contributor to the explanation of many human-factor related traffic crashes happening every day. The Inland Transport Committee (ITC), the United Nations regulatory platform, included on 1st April 2020 special action on the vision of road users inside the ITC Recommendations for Enhancing Road Safety Systems. The results of this wide-scale study on drivers&rsquo
Assessing risk perception over recidivist traffic offenders from a multi-group approach: how gendered could it be?
2022
ABSTRACT Objective: The core aim of this study was to examine the predictive role of demographic, psychosocial and driving features of Spanish drivers on their risk perception over recidivist traffic offenders, focusing on gender as a key differentiating factor. Method: For this cross-sectional study, it was analyzed the data gathered from a nationwide sample of 1,711 licensed drivers from the 17 regions of Spain (49% females, 51% males) with a mean age of 40.07 years, responding to a telephone-based interview on road safety issues. Demographic, driving-related and psychosocial factors were comparatively analyzed through robust tests and a bias-corrected MGSEM (Multi-Group Structural Equati…
Determinants and Stakeholders Influencing Children's Road Safety Education
2016
Road safety education is, widely, the best base and the greatest assurance of the future in terms of road safety prevention and promotion. Nowadays, RSE constitutes one of the main growing concerns in terms of complimentary education in many countries, taking into account, among other factors, the high rates of accidents that affect the health and welfare of childhood and adolescence. Furthermore, it is a necessity for the community health to create, train, encourage and lead positives attitudes for good road safety education. The general objective of this study was to describe the factors and stakeholders that have influence on the learning of road safety education and safe behaviors of ch…
Relationships of working conditions, health problems and vehicle accidents in bus rapid transit (BRT) drivers
2018
Background The aim of this study was to estimate accident risk rates and mental health of bus rapid transit (BRT) drivers based on psychosocial risk factors at work leading to increased stress and health problems. Methods A cross-sectional research design utilized a self-report questionnaire completed by 524 BRT drivers. Results Some working conditions of BRT drivers (lack of social support from supervisors and perceived potential for risk) may partially explain Bogota's BRT drivers' involvement in road accidents. Drivers' mental health problems were associated with higher job strain, less support from co-workers, fewer rewards and greater signal conflict while driving. Conclusions To preve…
Silent, Unsafe...and Underestimated?. Exploring the relationships between life stress and safety issues among spanish drivers
2022
Almost all the recent studies addressing road safety from the approach of human factors agree that stress is one of the most considerable (but underestimated) threats for safe driving. However, evidence on the relationship between stressful life events and driver performance remains scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to assess life stress-related perceptions of Spanish drivers, as well as exploring their relationships with self-reported driving performance, decision-making and other road safety-related issues. Methods: This cross-sectional research analysed the information gathered from a nationwide sample of n=840 Spanish drivers responding to an electronic survey on psychosocial issues, …
Validation of the F-DBQ: A short (and accurate) risky driving behavior questionnaire for long-haul professional drivers
2021
Abstract Although the Driving Behavior Questionnaire (DBQ) remains the most known tool for assessing risky road behaviors among motor vehicle drivers, recent studies have raised several concerns on the specificity of both driving task conditions and behavioral repertory of certain segments of the driving population. Among them, long-haul (cargo) professional drivers constitute one of the “intensive driving” groups for which the existing adapted behavioral research tools are still very scarce. Purpose The aim of the present study was to test and validate the F-DBQ (or “Freight Driving Behavior Questionnaire”), a short version of the DBQ adapted to the occupational driving conditions and typi…
Distracted driving in relation to risky road behaviors and traffic crashes in Bogota, Colombia
2022
The growing evidence on road distraction during the recent years has shown how road distractions might be playing a relevant role on traffic crash causation. However, the empirical insights about how it works in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are really limited so far. The case of Colombian non-professional drivers remains virtually unexplored on this regard. This research aims to assess the effect of road distractions, driving-related issues and road behaviors on the self-reported crashes suffered by drivers in Bogotá, Colombia. To do so, a sample of 659 drivers (64% males and 36% females) with a mean age of 37.9 years (SD = 11.7) was gathered, who answered an online survey on ro…
Comparing the cycling behaviours of Australian, Chinese and Colombian cyclists using a behavioural questionnaire paradigm.
2020
Cyclists are vulnerable road users and face disproportionately high rates of road trauma, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Behaviour of road users is a system outcome, and thus studying cyclist behaviours can identify problems in the whole road transport system and assist in generating long-lasting, cost-effective solutions to promote cyclist safety. This study aims to investigate the similarities and disparities of cycling behaviour among countries with different income levels and cycling prevalence, and the relationships among cyclist demographic characteristics, behaviours and crash involvement. It applies the Cycling Behaviour Questionnaire (CBQ) to measure the behaviour …
Does Urban Security Modulate Transportation Choices and Travel Behavior of Citizens? A National Study in the Dominican Republic
2020
Introduction: Traditionally, the scientific literature on urban and transportation dynamics addresses many topics, but the security-related outcomes of users remain a pending issue, especially in emerging countries and their cities. Nevertheless, recent evidence suggests that, especially in developing countries, security issues may influence people’s decision-making in the choice of transport means, daily urban-trip patterns and road behaviors of users. Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between the perceived security (in both urban environments and public transport systems) and the daily-travel behavior and trip patterns of the Dominican Republic populati…
Are Traffic Announcements Really Effective? A Systematic Review of Evaluations of Crash-Prevention Communication Campaigns
2021
Communication campaigns are commonly used in the traffic and road safety sector to raise public awareness of the importance of avoiding risky road user attitudes and behaviors. Surprisingly few of these communication campaigns evaluate their effectiveness in a formal and comprehensive manner. The core aim of the present systematic review is to identify the type of studies that evaluate the effectiveness of campaigns in this sector, in order to identify and contrast their main findings. This systematic review followed the PRISMA methodology, by means of which the relevant articles based on the search term were identified. A total of 613 indexed articles were filtered, and a final set of 27 a…
Self-Care and Sense of Coherence: A Salutogenic Model for Health and Care in Nursing Education
2022
Background: Effective advocacy on self-care and the enhancement of a sense of coherence among nurses don’t only benefit control over one’s health and personal performance, but it may have a direct impact on clinical care and on the entire healing system. In this regard, nursing curricula grounded on a salutogenic model of health (SMH) operate with strategies to engage students in self-care and contribute to improving their mental health and wellbeing. The aim of this study was to explore the relationships between self-care agency and a sense of coherence as dependent variables and the age and self-reported academic performance as independent variables in nursing assistant studen…
Explaining self-reported traffic crashes of cyclists: An empirical study based on age and road risky behaviors
2019
Abstract The growing rates of traffic crashes involving cyclists are currently recognized as a major public health and road safety concern. Furthermore, risky behaviors on the road and their precedent factors have been conceptualized as potential determinants for explaining, intervening and preventing traffic injuries of cyclists. Objectives This study aimed at examining whether individual factors and self-reported risky behaviors could explain the crash rates of cyclists in a period of 5 years. Methods A sample of 1064 cyclists was used, with a mean age of 32.83 years. Participants answered a survey assessing demographic data and information on risky behaviors, risk perception, knowledge o…
Is There a Predisposition towards the Use of New Technologies within the Traffic Field of Emerging Countries? The Case of the Dominican Republic
2021
Technological devices are becoming more and more integrated in the management and control of traffic in big cities. The population perceives the benefits provided by these systems, and, therefore, citizens usually have a favorable opinion of them. However, emerging countries, which have fewer available infrastructures, could present a certain lack of trust. The objective of this work is to detect the level of knowledge and predisposition towards the use of new technologies in the transportation field of the Dominican Republic. For this study, the National Survey on Mobility was administered to a sample of Dominican citizens, proportional to the ONE census and to sex, age and province. The k…
Measuring job stress in transportation workers: psychometric properties, convergent validity and reliability of the ERI and JCQ among professional dr…
2021
Abstract Background The accumulated evidence has shown how professional drivers are, in psychosocial terms, among the most vulnerable workforces, and how their crashes (some of them preceded by stressful working conditions) constitute both an occupational and public health concern. However, there is a clear lack of validated tools for measuring stress and other key hazardous issues affecting transport workers, and most of the existing ones, frequently generic, do not fully consider the specific features that properly describe the work environment of professional driving. This study assessed the psychometric properties, convergent validity and consistency of two measures used for researching…
The guilty, the unlucky, or the unaware? Assessing self-reported behavioral contributors and attributions on pedestrian crashes through structural eq…
2020
Introduction: Recent literature suggests that the causation of pedestrians' crashes and the contribution of safety-related behaviors within them may substantially differ compared to other road users. This study aimed to test the effect of individual factors and safety-related road behaviors on the self-reported walk- ing crashes suffered by pedestrians and, complementarily, to analyze the causes that pedestrians attrib- uted to the crashes they suffered as pedestrians during the previous five years. Method: For this cross- sectional research performed in Spain, data from a nationwide sample of 2,499 pedestrians from the 17 regions of the country were collected. Participants had a mean age o…
Could Technology and Intelligent Transport Systems Help Improve Mobility in an Emerging Country? Challenges, Opportunities, Gaps and Other Evidence f…
2022
Apart from constituting a topic of high relevance for transport planners and policymakers, support technologies for traffic have the potential to bring significant benefits to mobility. In addition, there are groups of “high potential” users, such as young adults, who constitute an essential part of the current market. Notwithstanding, and especially in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), their knowledge and acceptance remain understudied. This study aimed to assess the appraisal of intelligent transport systems (ITS) and other technological developments applicable to mobility among Dominican young adults. Methods: In this study, we used the data gathered from 1414 Dominicans aged betw…
Trait driving anger and driving styles among Colombian professional drivers
2019
Abstract This study analyzes the association between trait driving anger and driving styles in a sample of Colombian professional drivers. Additionally, the internal and external validity of the Deffenbacher's Driving Anger Scale (DAS-14) was examined in the study population. The DAS-14 and the Spanish Version of the Multidimensional Driving Style Inventory (S-MDSI) were administered to 492 urban bus and taxi operators. Average trait driving anger scores in the study population were similar to those reported in previous validation studies from Spain, Argentina, China, and Malaysia. After deleting three cross-loaded items, confirmatory factor analyses revealed a three-dimensional latent stru…
Self-care appraisal in nursing assistant students: Adaptation, validation and psychometric properties of the Spanish ASAS
2021
The core implication of nursing professionals’ labor is promoting self-care and foster well-being among healthcare service users. The beginning of the healing process starts with the provider, and self-care habits are needed to positively impact on patients’ care outcomes at different spheres. Overall, current literature supports the idea that nurses’ personal self-care should be a necessary skill to be expected in their professional role. In this regard, the Appraisal of Self-care Agency Scale (ASAS) is a worldwide known instrument aimed at assessing the ability to engage in self-care. However, it has never been tested in the Spanish context before, and much less in nursing practitioners o…
Differences in the Assessment of Safe and Risky Driving Behaviors: Pedestrians Versus Drivers
2022
Interactions between pedestrians and drivers are an important traffic safety issue. Psycho-social factors such as thoughts, perceptions and attitudes toward other people can be reliable predictors of riskier or safer behaviors among road users. The aim of this study was to assess how frequently participants perceive that drivers perform safe and risky road behaviors through drivers’ self-reported behavior and pedestrians and other drivers’ external perceptions. The results show that pedestrians assess the road behaviors of drivers in a seriously negative way. Meanwhile, drivers perceive their own behaviors as more appropriate than those performed by the rest of drivers. Women attribute mor…
ASSESSING USERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF FOUR TYPES OF ROAD SAFETY MEASURES
2022
Road crashes remain an important public health issue. This study aimed to assess the perceived importance of four types of measures for reducing traffic crash rates. For this cross-sectional study, data were obtained from a national sample of 1,200 Spanish drivers responding to a telephone-assisted survey. The most valued types of road safety measures were those related to users’ training/education and infrastructural improvements. Further, individual perceptions were influenced by both demographic and trip-related factors. The results of this study support the idea that user features remain a relevant issue to consider when developing and implementing road safety measures.
Reported prevalence of health conditions that affect drivers
2017
Drivers’ health and fitness are essential factors in order to predict performance outcomes and to promote road safety. It is a demonstrated fact that drivers with (physical and mental) health impairments or illnesses have more probabilities of being involved in traffic crashes and suffering (or causing) several injuries. The general objective of this study was to examine the prevalence of adverse health conditions that may affect Spanish drivers and its perceived impact on driving fitness. It was used a sample of 1,200 Spanish drivers (666 men and 534 women). The only selection criteria were to be in possession of any type of driving license for vehicles other than motorcycles and to drive …
Assessing the factor structure of the Behaviour of Young Novice Drivers Scale (BYNDS)
2020
Abstract The Behaviour of Young Novice Drivers Scale (BYNDS) is a self-report instrument to assess risky driving behaviours among youth population. Although previous studies have offered evidences of reliability and validity for the BYNDS scores, results are not conclusive as regards its factor structure. The aim of this research was to assess the factor structure of the BYNDS via Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFA). The BYNDS was administered to a sample of 832 drivers aged from 18 to 25 years (Argentina = 270, Colombia = 350, and Mexico = 212). Six models were examined: three derived from previous literature, one emerged from an exploratory factor analysis, a unidimensional model, and a bi…
Are subjective outcomes a “missing link” between driving stress and risky driving behaviors of commuters? Assessing the case of a LMIC
2023
Despite the efforts made by different stakeholders, most of Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) continue to systematically report very negative road safety outcomes. In fact, in countries like Colombia, the rate of deaths from traffic crashes has increased in recent years. One of the most affected collectives in this regard -and at the same time one of the least addressed in specialized literature- are driving commuters, which are commonly exposed to several types of threats and stressors configuring an “everyday risk” potentially impairing their health and safety. This study aimed to assess whether there exists an indirect path -mediated by subjective outcomes- linking driving stress a…
Job stress and emotional exhaustion at work in Spanish workers: Does unhealthy work affect the decision to drive?
2020
Objectives The purpose of this study was to assess the relationships among the following elements: unhealthy work indicators (job stress and emotional exhaustion at work), the decision to drive (or not), and driving crashes suffered by Spanish workers. Methods For this cross-sectional study, a full sample of 1,200 Spanish drivers (44% women and 56% men) was used, their mean age being 42.8 years. They answered a questionnaire divided into three sections: demographic and driving-related data; burnout, job stress, and life stress; and self-reported road behaviors and driving safety indicators. Results Overall, 41.6% of drivers reported emotional exhaustion at work. Furthermore, 80.2% of the pa…
Relationships among Bicycle Rider Behaviours, Anger, Aggression, and Crashes in Finland
2022
Riding a bicycle is increasingly encouraged as a sustainable transport solution, especially in urban areas. However, safety concerns, both perceived and actual, can significantly lower the willingness to ride among the population. To support cycling planning and policy in the double task of increasing the levels of cycling while mitigating crash risk, there is a need to better understand the behaviours and attitudes of bicycle riders. In this manuscript, we study a cohort of Finnish bicycle riders through four questionnaires, the Cycling Behaviour Questionnaire (CBQ), Cyclist Risk Perception and Regulation Scale (RPRS), Cyclist Anger Scale (CAS), and Cyclist Aggression Expression Inventory …
Not gendered… but different from each other? A structural equation model for explaining risky road behaviors of female and male pedestrians.
2020
Abstract As alternative transportation is getting more and more fashionable, and more people worldwide are "shifting" to walking trips, even for their daily commuting, traffic crashes suffered by pedestrians are still a great concern for road safety and public health researchers and practitioners. In this regard, risky or "aberrant" road behaviors have emerged, during the last few years, as a key issue to be considered for crash prevention. Nevertheless, the idea of a "generic pedestrian" is getting re-evaluated, and analyzing key features, such as gender, seems to be crucial for understanding pedestrians' performance and safety outcomes. Objective The objective of this study was to examine…
Public transportation and fear of crime at BRT Systems: Approaching to the case of Barranquilla (Colombia) through integrated choice and latent varia…
2021
Abstract Security perception and Fear of Crime (FoC) in urban scenarios have the potential to affect travel behavior, changing people’s travel choices and patterns. In this sense, the feeling of being “safe” or “at-risk” in public transportation not only depends on observable factors like illumination, travel companionship or transport crowding, but also on unobservable individual-specific latent attributes, among which fear of crime constitutes a major issue to consider in transport security policy-making. This study aimed to describe the relationships among sociodemographic features, travel situations, system-design features, and the Fear of Crime at three different locations (buses, bus …
Perceived safety and attributed value as predictors of the intention to use autonomous vehicles: A national study with Spanish drivers
2019
Abstract Sooner than later, the growing development of Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) will represent not only an imminent transformation of transportation dynamics, but also further advantages for their users, including many improvements in road crash prevention, efficiency and sustainability. However, different concerns and constraints may affect the intention of adopting this technology among its potential customers, especially for what concerns those constraints related to safety, viability and stability. The objective of this study was to examine the influence of perceived safety and value attributed to the AV in the drivers’ intention to use it, considering the drivers’ demographic factors,…
Perceived benefits and constraints in vehicle automation: Data to assess the relationship between driver's features and their attitudes towards auton…
2019
This data article examines the association driver's features, perceptions and attitudes towards autonomous vehicles (AVs). The data was collected using a structured self-administrable and online-based questionnaire, applied to a full sample of 1205 Spanish drivers. The data contains 4 parts: the full set of bivariate correlations between study variables; descriptive statistics and graphical trends for each main study variable according to gender, age group and city/town size; and, finally, the dataset for further explorations in this regard. For more information, it is convenient to read the full article entitled “Perceived safety and attributed value as predictors of the intention to use a…
Distraction of cyclists: how does it influence their risky behaviors and traffic crashes?
2018
BackgroundUndisputedly, traffic crashes constitute a public health concern whose impact and importance have been increasing during the past few decades. Specifically, road safety data have systematically shown how cyclists are highly vulnerable to suffering traffic crashes and severe injuries derived from them. Furthermore, although the empirical evidence is still very limited in this regard, in addition to other human factors involved in cycling crashes, distractions while cycling appear to be a major contributor to the road risk of cyclists.ObjectivesThe main objectives of this study were, first, to explore the prevalence and trends of cycling distractions within an international sample o…
Could Road Safety Education (RSE) Help Parents Protect Children? Examining Their Driving Crashes with Children on Board
2021
Recent evidence suggests that driving behavior and traffic safety outcomes of parents may be influenced by the extent to which they receive information and education on road safety, as well as the fact of driving with their children on board, which may increase their risk perception. However, there are no studies specifically addressing the case of crashes suffered while driving with children. Hence, this study aimed to describe the relationship between road safety education-related variables and parents’ traffic safety outcomes while driving with children on board. For this cross-sectional study, data was retrieved from a sample composed of 165 Spanish parents—all of them licensed drivers—…
Practice assistants´ perceived mental workload: A cross-sectional study with 550 German participants addressing work content, stressors, resources, a…
2020
Introduction Practice assistants represent a highly relevant occupational group in Germany and one of the most popular training professions in Germany. Despite this, most research in the health care sector has focused on secondary care settings, but has not addressed practice assistants in primary care. Knowledge about practice assistants’ workplace-related stressors and resources is particularly scarce. This cross-sectional study addresses the mental workload of practice assistants working in primary care practices. Methods Practice assistants from a network of 185 German primary care practices were invited to participate in this cross-sectional study. The standardized `Short Questionnaire…
Commuting accidents of Spanish professional drivers: when occupational risk exceeds the workplace
2019
Background. Work traffic accidents are an issue both in Spain and all over the world, and specific evidence on commuting accidents is scarce. Even though both industrial safety and welfare have been improved during the last decades, the commuting accidents rate is growing worldwide. Purpose. The aim of this study was to examine and describe the characteristics of commuting traffic crashes of Spanish professional drivers. Materials and methods. For this cross-sectional study, commuting accidents suffered by drivers during the last 12 years were analyzed. Crossed and heatmap-based analyses were performed in order to establish patterns and driver-based differences among commuting crashes. Resu…
Validation of the Multidimensional Driving Style Inventory (MDSI) in professional drivers: How does it work in transportation workers?
2019
Abstract The Multidimensional Driving Style Inventory or MDSI constitutes, perhaps, the most relevant tool for measuring driving styles. Since its releasing in 2004, it has been applied worldwide to different samples of drivers, showing an important value and utility for road safety. However, empirical studies using the MDSI on professional drivers are scarce and, to the date, there is no validated version of the instrument in this workforce yet. Objectives: This study had two aims. First, to describe in detail the validation of the Taubman-Ben-Ari’s MDSI among professional drivers and, second, to test its convergent validity with other key relevant factors present in the work environment o…
Essential…but also vulnerable? Work intensification, effort/reward imbalance, fatigue and psychological health of Spanish cargo drivers during the CO…
2022
Objective This study investigates the combined effect of the Effort/Reward Imbalance (ERI) model of stress and work intensification within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological health (general and work-related fatigue, and psychological strain) of cargo drivers, one of the most demanded workforces during the first year of this pandemic. Methods For this cross-sectional research, the data provided by n = 1,013 professional drivers from the different 17 autonomous communities (regions) of Spain were analyzed. Participants answered a questionnaire composed of the short version of the Effort Reward Imbalance (ERI) questionnaire, a Work Intensification Scale (WIS) designed f…
Multidimensional prediction of work traffic crashes among Spanish professional drivers in cargo and passenger transportation
2020
The aim of this study was to examine the effect of different environmental, mechanical and individual factors associated with fatalities and serious injuries caused by work traffic accidents among cargo and passenger transport drivers (CPTD) in Spain. For this cross-sectional study, national data on work traffic accidents collected in Spain during the last 3 years were analyzed through a regression modeling approach, in order to predict the severity of traffic crashes involving CPTD. Using binary logistic regression analyses, it was found that the type of road and accident, the meteorological, light and vehicle conditions, individual characteristics and risky driving behaviors significantly…
Perception of Dating Violence in Teenage Couples: A Cross Validation Study in Spain and Colombia
2020
Background: dating violence, or violence in teenage couples, is a socially interesting topic, due to its prevalence and its possible use in predicting violence in adult couples. The perception of violence, or the detection of abusive behaviors by teenagers and young people (which can be considered as equivalent concepts), is essential to prevent violence itself. Therefore, the main objective of this research is to determine which behaviors are identified as abusive by teenagers and young people, and the severity that they attribute to them&mdash
A matter of style? testing the moderating effect of driving styles on the relationship between job strain and work-related crashes of professional dr…
2020
Abstract Different empirical studies suggest that both job strain and driving styles are significant contributors to the work-related traffic crashes suffered by professional drivers. Nevertheless, the current evidence falls considerably short when explaining why driving styles may modify (or not) the relationship between occupational stressors and professional drivers’ safety outcomes. The aim of this study was to examine whether driving styles moderate the effect of job strain on professional drivers’ Work Traffic Crashes (WTCs). This research was performed using the data collected from a sample of 753 professional drivers, responding to a self-report questionnaire on job strain (work str…
Well-being, behavioral patterns and cycling crashes of different age groups in Latin America: Are aging adults the safest cyclists?
2019
ObjectivesThis study aimed at analyzing the cycling safety-related factors and the mental health indicators of elderly cyclists in comparison with other age groups.MethodsFor this cross-sectional study, we analyzed the data of 911 bicyclists from two Latin American countries that have been experiencing a substantial growth of urban cycling during the last few years: Colombia and Argentina. Participants responded to an e-questionnaire on bicycling behaviors, mental health and cycling safety.ResultsAging adults reported lower rates of risky behaviors and traffic crashes (around .38 in five years), and, on the other hand, more cycling protective behaviors, a higher risk perception and a better…
Workplace burnout and health issues among Colombian correctional officers.
2018
IntroductionCorrectional employees typically work under adverse conditions that may enhance the occurrence of different negative psychological states. Burnout constitutes a high-risk phenomenon that may affect people's physical/mental health and welfare, especially in vulnerable occupational groups.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to characterize the burnout profile of correctional officers, and to associate their burnout profile with health issues and lifestyle factors.MethodsThe full sample was composed of 219 Colombian correctional officers with a mean age of 30.18 years. A questionnaire composed of three sections was employed: demographic data, burnout, and health information.Results…
Are adult driver education programs effective? A Systematic Review of evaluations of accident prevention training courses
2022
Road safety training programs are commonly used to raise awareness of risky attitudes and behaviors. The evaluation of road safety education courses aimed at children is carried out with some assiduity. However, this does not usually occur in courses aimed at young people and adults. The present systematic review aims to identify studies that evaluate the effectiveness of road safety training programs in this population group. This systematic review followed the PRISMA methodology, by which the relevant articles based on the research term were identified. A total number of 1,336 indexed articles were filtered, and a final selection of 22 articles directly addressing the issue was obtained. …
Psychosocial Work Factors, Job Stress and Strain at the Wheel: Validation of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) in Professional Drive…
2019
Introduction: Psychosocial work environment has been related to many negative health outcomes in different workforces. However, evidence in this regard is still limited in the case of transport workers, and most of the tools used in research, often excessively generic, do not fully consider the specific key stressors and adverse issues present in the psychosocial environment of professional driving. Objective: Thus, the purpose of this study was to obtain a complete description of the validation of measurement applied to psychosocial factors at work in professional drivers, using the Enterprise version (2018) of COPSOQ-III. Methods: The data was collected from 726 Spanish professional drive…
Is safety in the eye of the beholder? Discrepancies between self-reported and proxied data on road safety behaviors-A systematic review
2022
Recent studies have problematized on the lack of agreement between self-reported and proxied data in the field of road safety-related behaviors. Overall, and although these studies are still scarce, most of them suggest that the way we perceive our own road behavior is systematically different from the perspective from which we perceive others' behavior, and vice versa. The aim of this review paper was to target the number and type of studies that have researched the behavioral perceptions of different groups of road users, contrasting self-reported behavioral data with those reported by other users (proxied), and their outcomes. This systematic review followed the PRISMA methodology, which…
Infrastructural and Human Factors Affecting Safety Outcomes of Cyclists
2018
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,…
Unsafety on two wheels, or social prejudice? Proxying behavioral reports on bicycle and e-scooter riding safety - A mixed-methods study
2022
The use of non-motorized transportation and micro-mobility is increasing in many cities. Bicycle riding and e-scooter use are now more common and affordable than ever. However, users of these devices face certain key issues. These include their own risky behaviors as well as involvement in conflicts with other road users. Self-report data may not adequately capture these behaviors and interactions. Despite this, more objective data (i.e., how third parties perceive these users’ road behaviors) is scarce. Aims: This study aimed to understand whether e-scooter riders have comparable or different riding behaviors than cyclists. This was investigated using a mixed-method study. Methods: This pa…
Safety Related Behaviors and Law Adherence of Shared E-Scooter Riders in Germany
2021
Shared e-scooters, whose supply and coverage keeps increasing in many cities around the globe, are rapidly changing mobility in urban road environments. As rising injury rates have been observed alongside this new form of mobility, researchers are investigating potential factors that relate to safe/unsafe e-scooter use. In Germany, e-scooter sharing platforms were only recently permitted in the middle of 2019, and their number has increased steadily since then. The aim of this study was to assess key factors that relate to their safe use, through a direct observation of e-scooters conducted at three observation sites around Berlin. Helmet use, dual use, type of infrastructure use, and trave…
Healthy but risky: A descriptive study on cyclists’ encouraging and discouraging factors for using bicycles, habits and safety outcomes
2019
Abstract Transportation is a necessary process that requires not only adequate means, but also individual choices. And apparently, the recent boom of alternative modes of transportation has substantially changed people’s perceptions of cycling, as well as the reasons why they decide to use a bike. Nevertheless, people identify some motives that encourage this use together with the perceived risks and the discouraging factors which affect the choice of using a bike, thus making it important to explore all these elements in the light of the empirical evidence. The objective of this study was to explore and describe the encouraging and discouraging reasons behind the use of bikes among cyclist…
Assessing risky and protective behaviors among pedestrians in the Dominican Republic: New evidence about pedestrian safety in the Caribbean
2021
Abstract Introduction Research on pedestrians’ behavior and safety in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) is scarce, compared to high-income economies. This study aimed to present the validation of the Walking Behavior Questionnaire (WBQ), which has not been tested before in the Dominican Republic, and to evaluate age differences in walking-related self-reported behaviors. Methods For this study, a nationwide sample of 1026 pedestrians answered a questionnaire on risky and safe walking behaviors. Psychometric properties of the WBQ, variable correlations and age-based differences in walking were tested. Results Overall, the WBQ presented an adequate structure, goodness-of-fit indexes, an…
Knowledge, perceived effectiveness and qualification of traffic rules, police supervision, sanctions and justice
2017
Road safety is a complex process that not only depends on technical and environmental improvements, but in a major part from human factors. In this sense, recent empirical studies have remarked the need to study the interaction between subject and laws, at the glance of several elements preceding road behavior. This is the case of attitudes, opinions and perceptions in the field of road safety, factors that influence the interaction with issues such as traffic rules, police supervision, penalties and justice in traffic. The objective of this study was to describe the self-rated knowledge and perceptions regarding traffic norms and its interaction with road safety among drivers. For this stu…
Environmentally friendly, but behaviorally complex? A systematic review of e-scooter riders’ psychosocial risk features
2022
Introduction E-scooters have made a place for themselves on urban roads as an affordable, easy-to-use and environmentally friendly method of transportation. However, and partly because of their road behaviors and safety outcomes, e-scooter users have started to represent a focus of attention for transport planners and policymakers. Aim The present systematic review aims to target and analyze the existing studies investigating the psychosocial characteristics of e-scooter riders, focusing on their behavioral and risk-related features. Methods For this systematic review, the PRISMA methodology was used, which allows for the selection of suitable papers based on the study topic, in accordance…
Working conditions, job strain, and traffic safety among three groups of public transport drivers
2018
Background: Working conditions and psychosocial work factors have acquired an important role explaining the well-being and performance of professional drivers, including those working in the field of public transport. This study aimed to examine the association between job strain and the operational performance of public transport drivers and to compare the expositions with psychosocial risk at work of three different types of transport workers: taxi drivers, city bus drivers, and interurban bus drivers. Method: A sample of 780 professional drivers was drawn from three transport companies in Bogota (Colombia). The participants answered the Job Content Questionnaire and a set of sociodemogra…
Comparing oculomotor efficiency and visual attention between drivers and non-drivers through the Adult Developmental Eye Movement (ADEM) test: A visu…
2021
Objective The objective of this study was to assess and compare drivers’ and non-drivers’ outcomes in the Adult Developmental Eye Movement test (ADEM), a visual-verbal test that measures the time needed to read series of numbers in both a vertical and horizontal reading pattern. A set of driving parameters (i.e., experience, risk exposure, and day and night perceived difficulty) and demographic variables (i.e., age, gender, and academic level) were considered as potential predictors of the test performance. Methods For this cross-sectional study, 302 healthy subjects (age range 20 to 86 years old) completed a self-reported questionnaire aimed at retrieving data on the independent variables…
Consistency Between the Subjective Perception of Feeling Indisposed, the Decision to Drive and Driving Performance
2016
Drivers' health and fitness are essential issues in order to predict traffic crashes, taking into account that these characteristics are essential to perform this task correctly and safety. The purpose of this research was to analyze the frequency in which drivers who feel physically or emotionally unable to drive decide to perform this task, or not, under states of indisposition, as well as the perception of the effect that this indisposition had on driving. This cross-sectional study used a total sample of n=1200 (666 [56%] men and 534 [44%] women) Spanish drivers, who answered a questionnaire designed to collect data about their psychosocial characteristics, driving habits and perception…
Validation of the Walking Behavior Questionnaire (WBQ): A tool for measuring risky and safe walking under a behavioral perspective
2020
Abstract Introduction Although daily walking implies several potential benefits for the health and well-being of people, and, besides the raise of more “walkable” cities, it is currently being promoted as an active transportation means that is rich in benefits for its users, road risks affecting pedestrians, together with their high vulnerability to suffer severe injuries as a consequence of traffic crashes, have turned into a relevant concern for both policymakers and public health practitioners. In this regard, risky and positive (proactively safe) behaviors have acquired a substantial relevance for the study and prevention of traffic causalities involving different road users, including …
Analysis of the State and Development of Road Safety Education in Spanish Higher Education Institutions
2016
Traffic crashes are considered one of the major public health concerns, considering that this phenomenon explains a high number of deaths and injuries every year, and around all the world in different groups of population. The road safety education, (or traffic safety education), regarding the complexity of this process, and that it takes place during the complete process of life of individuals, is considered as a key determinant of road safety behaviors and a relatively lower road risk, essentially for road users with more and diverse high risk factors which may explain the occurrence of road accidents, such as young adults. The general objective of this study was to describe the associate…
Comparing Job Stress, Burnout, Health and Traffic Crashes of Urban Bus and BRT Drivers
2017
Professional driving is a very demanding task. According to the recent scientific evidence, Bus drivers tend to report high levels of occupational stress, burnout and occupational traffic accidents. With the implementation of new transportation modes, some substantial benefits and adverse circumstances for public transport operators have been documented. BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) systems have been implemented in different cities worldwide as an efficient alternative to fulfill difficulties and limitations related to traditional Urban Bus systems. However, in order to compare the efficiency of different public transport modes, it is important to assess, in addition to objective indicators, the…
Smoking while Driving: Frequency, Motives, Perceived Risk and Punishment
2017
When dealing with the duality of traffic accidents and road safety, smoking while driving is one of the factors that, despite the social beliefs and/or misconceptions, causes a large number of injuries and deaths worldwide. Although smoking is a well-known harmful behavior for people's health, it affects health and safety in many ways, perhaps more than some segments of the population can imagine. This is the specific case of drivers. The main objective of this study was to describe the behavioral and representational aspects of drivers that modulate the smoking-accidents relation. Specifically, it focuses in the frequency and reasons why drivers smoke while driving. On the other hand, it w…
Patterns on Work-Related Stress and Tobacco Consumption in City Bus Drivers
2018
Work-related stress and addictive behaviors have been described by several empirical studies as potential impairers for the health, welfare, and safety of workers. With this study, we aimed at describing the relationship between two work stress (Job Strain and Effort-Reward Imbalance) and tobacco consumption indicators among city bus drivers, and their association with traffic incidents registered by drivers along the last 2 years. For this cross-sectional study, the sample included 222 Colombian city bus drivers with a mean age of 41.4 years and driving experience of 18.63 years. A four-section questionnaire was used, and it was composed of individual (professional/demographic) information…
Prevalence and perception of depressive symptomatology among Spanish drivers and its relation to driving safety
2016
Depression is currently the most frequent mental disorder and one of the main causes of losing years of healthy life. This disorder entails a cognitive and motor deterioration that is seriously detrimental to driving. From the analysis of the interviewed drivers' attitudes, knowledge and behaviors, the objective of this paper was the following one: detect the impact of depressive symptoms on a driver's sample and its relationship with several variables related to driving and road safety. A sample of 1.200 Spanish drivers ranging from 18 to 64 years was used, 666 men and 534 women were asked to answer a questionnaire composed by a set of items structured in different sections. The only selec…
Perception of the impact of certain health conditions on driving performance
2017
Driving task requires the joint performance of many abilities which can be altered by several psychophysical conditions. Furthermore, a large number of recent studies on driving has found that there are several conditions that may affect the ability to operate safely motor vehicles and to prevent road crashes. The objective of this study was to describe the perception of drivers about the effect of certain health conditions on driving performance. This cross-sectional study used a total sample of n=1200 (666 [56%] men and 534 [44%] women) Spanish drivers, who answered a questionnaire designed to collect data about their psychosocial characteristics, driving habits and perceptions about the …
Drivers' opinion on the driver selection system and the possible new models in Spain
2017
One of the objectives of the driver selection system in Spain is to determine if drivers have any psychophysical disorders that may impair their driving, in order to show the psychophysical aptitudes of people when obtaining or renewing a driving license. The general objective of this research was to understand drivers' opinions on the reliability and exhaustiveness of the actual selection of driver systems, as well as whether drivers agreed with the proposal of suspending the driving license after a medical check-up, if necessary. For this national study, it was used a total sample of n=1200 (666 [56%] men and 534 [44%] women) Spanish drivers, who answered a questionnaire designed to colle…
Evaluación de los factores de riesgo, comportamientos y accidentalidad vial de los usuarios vulnerables: el caso de los ciclistas = Assessment of the…
2018
Aunque los accidentes de tráfico constituyen desde hace décadas un serio problema de salud pública, la alta vulnerabilidad de grupos de usuarios específicos -entre ellos los ciclistas- ha dado lugar a una especial preocupación a nivel social, político y científico a lo largo del último lustro. Además, la evidencia reciente sugiere que durante los próximos años la utilización de la bicicleta como medio transporte urbano aumentará sustancialmente, lo que dará lugar también a un incremento de las lesiones y muertes entre los usuarios de este sistema de movilidad. En este contexto, uno de los factores con mayor peso explicativo de la siniestralidad vial es el comportamiento de los usuarios; sin…
Knowledge of the concepts of 'black spot', 'grey spot' and 'high accident concentration sections' among drivers
2016
One of the major problems related to road injuries and deaths are the presence of Black Spots. This problem has received a growing amount of attention from road managers thorough last decades, taking into account its importance for the safety of road users. In fact, knowledge about these strategic areas among drivers seems to be quite important, since this conceptualization may affect their behavior and assumed risks on the road. The main objective of this research was to assess the knowledge that drivers have on the concept of black spot and other closely related terms: 'grey spot' and 'high accident concentration sections'. For this study, it was used a random sample of 200 drivers from t…