Distracted driving: mobile phone use while driving in three Mexican cities

Vera-López, Juan Daniel; Pérez‐Núñez, Ricardo; Hı́jar, Martha; Hidalgo‐Solórzano, Elisa; Lunnen, Jeffrey C.; Chandran, Aruna; Hyder, Adnan A.

doi:10.1136/injuryprev-2012-040496

Cited by 19 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…It also must be acknowledged that the data were collected at a deliberately chosen location, selected because of its typical traffic congestion. Thus the rate of texting at the light seen at this site cannot be generalized, as could be done from a multi-site study [ 19 , 20 ]. Further, the window of observation for moving vehicles was inherently briefer than for stationary ones.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Texting at the light and other forms of device distraction behind the wheel

Bernstein

2015

BMC Public Health

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BackgroundCell phones are a well-known source of distraction for drivers, and owing to the proliferation of text messaging services, web browsers and interactive apps, modern devices provide ever-increasing temptation for drivers to take their eyes off the road. Although it is probably obvious that drivers’ manual engagement of a device while their vehicles are in motion is potentially dangerous, it may not be clear that such engagement when the vehicle is at rest (an activity broadly labeled “texting at the light”) can also impose risks. For one thing, a distracted driver at rest may fail to respond quickly to sudden changes in road conditions, such as an ambulance passing through. In addition, texting at the light may decrease so-called “situational awareness” and lead to driving errors even after the device is put down. To our knowledge, the direct comparison of the rate of device usage by drivers at rest with the rate of device usage by drivers in motion has not been reported.MethodsWe collected information on 2000 passenger vehicles by roadside observation. For the first group of 1000 passenger vehicles stopped at a traffic light, device usage (“texting”, “talking”, “none”), gender of the driver, vehicle type, seatbelt usage and presence of front seat passengers were recorded. For a second set of 1000 vehicles in motion, device usage alone was noted. Statistical significance for differences in rates was assessed with the chi-square test.ResultsWe found that 3 % of drivers in motion were texting and 5 % were talking. Among the stopped drivers, 14.5 % were texting and 6.3 % were talking. In the stopped-vehicle set, gender and vehicle type were not associated with significant differences in device usage, but having a front seat passenger and using seatbelts were.ConclusionsDevice usage is markedly higher among drivers temporarily at rest compared with those in motion, and the presence of a front seat passenger, who may help alleviate boredom or reprimand bad behavior, is associated with lower device usage rates among vehicles stopped at a light. These observations may help identify suitable steps to decrease distracted driving and thereby minimize traffic trauma.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Texting at the light and other forms of device distraction behind the wheel

Bernstein

2015

BMC Public Health

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“…National prevalence estimates of CPU of drivers range between 5% and 10%; Pickrell and Ye, 2011 , Townsend, 2006 , Vera-López et al, 2012 however, this may be underestimating the problem as many U.S. drivers self-report CPU while driving ( Braitman and McCartt, 2010 ). Nearly 40% of all drivers report talking and 13% report texting while driving at least once a week ( Braitman and McCartt, 2010 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevalence and correlates of cell phone use among Texas drivers

Wilkinson

Brown

Moussa

et al. 2015

Preventive Medicine Reports

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IntroductionCell phone use while driving restricts peripheral awareness and impairs reaction time. This study assessed the 3-year prevalence of cell phone use (CPU) of drivers and characteristics associated with its use in six cities across Texas, 2011–2013.MethodsCPU and driver characteristics were observed among motor vehicles (n = 1280) stopped at major intersections in medical and academic campuses. A multivariable logistic regression model described the association between driver characteristics and CPU.ResultsThe overall prevalence of any CPU was 18.7%. Any type of CPU and talking tended to decline, while texting seemed to increase from 2011 to 2013. CPU was more likely among female drivers (OR = 1.63; 95% CI = 1.21, 2.20), drivers < 25 years of age (OR = 4.12; 95% CI = 2.29, 7.39), and drivers without passengers (OR = 4.40; 95% CI = 2.82, 6.88).ConclusionDespite its dangers, CPU remains popular among Texas drivers. CPU and texting bans should target public health campaigns towards female and younger drivers.

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“…self-report) as individuals are prone to report lesser use due to social desirability. Evidence from two observational studies reported a higher prevalence of cellphone use in the same context [ 57 , 58 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors associated with the severity of road traffic injuries from emergency department based surveillance system in two Mexican cities

et al. 2022

Self Cite

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Background Limited data from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) on the severity of road traffic injuries (RTIs) and their relation to different variables of interest are routinely obtained. Knowledge on this subject relies on evidence from high-income countries, which might not be the same as in LMICs. This information is greatly needed to advance and inform local and regional efforts towards the United Nations’ Decade of Action and the Sustainable Development Goals. Methods From May 2012 to November 2014, a RTI surveillance system was implemented in two referral hospitals in two Mexican cities, León and Guadalajara, with the objective of exploring the relationship between Injury Severity Score (ISS) and different sociodemographic characteristics of the injured as well as different variables related to the event and the environment. All individuals suffering RTIs who visited the Emergency Rooms (ER) were included after granting informed consent. A Zero-Truncated Negative Binomial Model was employed to explore the statistical association between ISS and variables of interest. Results 3024 individuals participated in the study: 2185 (72.3%) patients from León and 839 patients (27.7%) from Guadalajara. Being male, in the 20–59 age-group, having less schooling, events occurring in Guadalajara, on Sundays, at night, and arriving at ER via public/private ambulance were all associated with an increased log count of ISS. Found a significant interaction effect (p-value< 0.05) between type of road user and alcohol intake six hours before the accident on severity of the injury (ISS). The use of illicit drugs, cellphones and safety devices during the event showed no association to ISS. Conclusions Our study contributes to the statistical analysis of ISS obtained through RTI hospital surveillance systems. Findings might facilitate the development and evaluation of focused interventions to reduce RTIs in vulnerable users, to enhance ER services and prehospital care, and to reduce drink driving.

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Distracted driving: mobile phone use while driving in three Mexican cities

Cited by 19 publications

References 10 publications

Texting at the light and other forms of device distraction behind the wheel

Texting at the light and other forms of device distraction behind the wheel

Prevalence and correlates of cell phone use among Texas drivers

Factors associated with the severity of road traffic injuries from emergency department based surveillance system in two Mexican cities

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