Alcohol use, driver, and crash characteristics among injured motorcycle drivers

BACKGROUND: Motorcycle drivers have the highest frequency of alcohol use among all road users. This study examines alcohol use among a large sample of injured motorcycle drivers and examines how crash characteristics differ with the use of alcohol. METHODS: Over 3000 motorcycle drivers who crashed between January 1, 1991, and December 31, 1992, were studied. All fatally injured drivers in 11 California counties and a sample of nonfatally injured drivers treated in 28 hospitals were included in the study if a crash report and medical record were available. RESULTS: Among drivers tested for alcohol use, 42% tested positive for the presence of alcohol. Drinking drivers were more likely to be speeding and less likely to wear a helmet, and more frequently had single motorcycle crashes than nondrinking drivers. Crash characteristics, but not alcohol use, were predictive of increased injury severity. CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol use remains a significant factor in motorcycle crashes and is an important area for injury prevention efforts.     

An opinion survey and longitudinal study of driver behaviour at stop signs.

Generated and tested predictions concerning behavior of drivers at stop signs. First, a survey of 225 Ss showed that the rate of stopping was thought to be higher in the presence than in the absence of another vehicle and for females and older drivers than for males and younger ones. Second, 895 drivers were unobstrusively observed at stop signs over a 5-yr period. In each year, about 50% of drivers came to a complete stop, 40% slowed down, and 10% maintained speed. Generally, sex and age were not significant factors, but most drivers stopped when another vehicle was in the vicinity and most only slowed when the road seemed clear. It is concluded that stop sign behavior reflects risky decision making rather than adherence to the law and that recent claims of increased reckless behavior at these signs may be premature. (French abstract) (13 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Illegal parking in handicapped zones: Demographic observations and review of the literature.

Found that the overall rate of illegal parking in a parking space reserved for handicapped persons by a total of 266 drivers was 62.0%. 67.7% of Ss were White, and 85.7% were estimated to be above the age of 25 yrs. Although there were more violations recorded for Whites and older drivers, the percentage of young and Black drivers who were violators was higher than that for Whites and older drivers. Violators tended to remain in the spaces for shorter durations than did legal parkers. Availability of equally convenient, illegal parking alternatives (e.g., fire lanes) appeared to reduce violations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Drivers for Cost Estimating in Early Design: Case Study of Residential Construction

This paper proposes the use of a series of independent variables for an early estimation of the building construction cost of residential buildings. Based on 70 German residential properties, these variables serve as the cost drivers of a project, and the regression model, tested against the 70 properties, has a mean absolute percentage error of 9.6%. When applied to predict the cost of five more properties that were excluded from the 70 in the regression model, the percentage error ranges between–12 and 13%. The identified cost drivers are: compactness of the building, number of elevators, size of the project, expected duration of construction, proportion of openings in external walls, and region.     

Test for the efficacy of disinfectants at surfaces in test models. I. (communication:) Dependence of experimental results on the method of demonstration of surviving germs (swab and rinsing) (author's transl)

For the testing of disinfectants at surfaces, the germs having survived at the surface are demonstrated by means of swabs according to the guide-lines of the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Hygiene und Mikrobiologie (DGHM): after the period of exposure to the disinfectant, the surfaces were rubbed off with a damp swab, and the frictional surface of the swab was plated out on nutrient agar. The effectiveness of this technique was compared with the effectiveness of a rinsing method in a test model. In the rinsing process, the objects to be tested for surviving germs were shaken together with a suspension and with glass beads. Then the content of germs in the suspension was quantitatively determined by means of dilution tests and pour plates. The findings were evaluated according to the guide-lines for evaluation of the DGHM (less than or equal to 10 surviving germs = adequate efficacy). For the findings obtained by rinsing, the average number of surviving germs was also determined. For maldehyde solutions were used as disinfectants for the test models (time of exposure: 4 hours; temperature 22 to 25 degrees C). These disinfecting experiments were performed on raw smoothed as well as on varnished beech-wood. The experimental results showed that the criterion "less than or equal to X surviving germs" in itself does not mean clear evidence of the efficacy of a disinfectant. The one and only decisive criterion is the frequency of the statement that a certain disinfectant or a corresponding dilution of this disinfectant has shown adequate efficacy. Therefore, one single test according to the guide-lines of the DGHM is insufficient. The frequency of the finding "adequate efficacy" is not only dependent on the concentration of the disinfectant but also on the technique used for the demonstration of surviving germs. The swab method (according to the guide-lines of the DGHM) occasionally resulted in the finding "adequate efficacy" already if 10(4) to 10(5) surviving germs were demonstrable by the rinsing method. The range of formaldehyde concentrations for which the finding of adequate efficacy were present with a frequency between 20% (minimum) and 80% (maximum) amounted to 0.2-0.5% (varnished surface) and 1.1-2.5% (raw surface), respectively for the swab method. The respective figures for the rinsing method were 0.8-1.3% and 4.8-6.5%, respectively. When using the swab method, there is a slower increase in the efficacy of the disinfectant with concentration as compared with the rinsing method. The rinsing method is, therefore, more representative of the efficacy of a disinfectant than the swab method. On account of the results of this study, it is recommended for model experiments to recover the surviving germs quantitatively by the rinsing method and to determine their number.     

Evaluation of the prevalence of drug and alcohol abuse in motor vehicle trauma in south western Sydney

This study estimated prospectively the prevalence of high drug and alcohol levels in road trauma cases who met the criteria for activation of the Liverpool Hospital's trauma team. Urine analysis of road trauma victims between October 1992 and October 1993 was undertaken for drug and alcohol estimation. A total of 164 drivers were studied. A urine alcohol concentration (UAC) exceeding 0.08 g/dL was detected in 27 drivers (16.5%). Cannabinoids were detected in the urine of 25 drivers (15.2%), in 17 the concentrations exceeded 400 ng/mL. In one instance amphetamine, cocaine and heroin were detected in the same injured driver. Combined use of alcohol with some other drugs was detected in only four drivers. Alcohol and cannabinoid levels were prevalent in the urine of injured drivers in this study, particularly in young males who remain over-represented in the group of injured drivers. In the population surveyed other drugs were rarely detected. The role of cannabinoids in road trauma and the use of cannabinoids in young male drivers will however need to be monitored more extensively.     

Diagnosis, management, and follow-up of congenital head and neck teratomas

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether pretreatment total and ionized blood magnesium concentrations were associated with outcome for dogs with parvoviral enteritis and whether ionized magnesium concentration was related to total magnesium concentration or other laboratory values. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. ANIMALS: 61 healthy dogs and 72 dogs with parvoviral enteritis. PROCEDURE: Total, ionized, and pH-normalized ionized magnesium concentrations, ionized and pH-normalized ionized calcium concentrations, pH, sodium and potassium concentrations, and Hct were measured prior to treatment. chi 2 Analyses were used to test for associations between outcome and age and between outcome and treatment with antiendotoxin antibody. Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated to determine whether ionized magnesium concentration was linearly associated with other laboratory values. RESULTS: Total and ionized magnesium concentrations were not significantly different between healthy dogs and dogs with parvoviral enteritis or between dogs surviving and those not surviving parvoviral enteritis. The only laboratory value strongly correlated with ionized magnesium concentration was pH-normalized ionized magnesium concentration. Of the factors tested, none were significantly associated with outcome, except that dogs 16 weeks old or less treated with antiendotoxin antibody were significantly more likely to die than were dogs 16 weeks old or less that were not treated with antiendotoxin antibody. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Total and ionized blood magnesium concentrations cannot be used to consistently predict outcome for dogs with parvoviral enteritis. Antiendotoxin antibody should be used with caution in dogs 16 weeks old or less.     

Low plasma apolipoprotein AII levels in human and mouse amyloidosis with mutant transthyretin (Met-30) gene

A survey of residents was done in three congregate care facilities to determine the prevalence and safety of platform motorized wheelchairs (PMWs) otherwise known as three-wheeled motorized wheelchairs or scooters. Thirty-one drivers of these vehicles were identified, 30 of whom consented to be interviewed. The mean age of the drivers was 80.7 years and 84% were women. Arthritis was the most frequent reason for use of the PMW (47%), followed by neurologic problems (23%) and orthopedic problems (23%). Of this group, 77% had their PMW prescribed by a physician, most commonly an orthopedic surgeon (40%) with only 14% being prescribed by a geriatrician or physiatrist. Thirty percent of the drivers felt other drivers in their facility drove unsafely. Most residents (57%) had no training in the use of the vehicle and two admitted they had a medical condition that made it difficult to drive. Five accidents were reported, two of which involved either a serious injury or property damage. Based on the results obtained from this survey, we conclude that driver safety evaluation should be done on all users of PMWs in congregate care facilities.     

Comparison of young and adult driver crashes in Alaska using linked traffic crash and hospital data

This report describes young driver crashes in Alaska, compares rates and characteristics of young driver crashes with adult driver crashes, and summarizes the medical and financial outcomes of young driver crashes, for the period 1991 through 1995. Using the Mini Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System (MINICODES), trauma registry hospital discharge data were linked with traffic crash records. The data were analyzed to compare drivers aged 16-20 with drivers aged 21-50 who were involved in a crash resulting in the hospitalization or death of a crash victim. The CrashCost Program was used to estimate costs associated with young driver crashes for the five years. Young drivers were 2.9 times more likely than adult drivers to be involved in crashes that resulted in the hospitalization of a crash victim, and 2.6 times more likely to be involved in a crash involving a fatality. The contributing factors for young driver crashes were listed as human factors 73.4% of the time, compared with 65.6% among adults (P = .001). Costs associated with the young driver crashes were estimated to be over $300 million, which resulted in a cost per young licensed driver that was 3.4 times the cost per adult licensed driver.     

Work-related road fatalities in Australia, 1982-1984

A study of work-related fatalities, based on coroners' records, has provided national data on work-related road fatalities. A total of 1,544 work-related fatalities were identified over 1982-1984. Of these, 600 (39%) resulted from injuries sustained in road vehicle accidents on public roads; 366 (24%) in the course of work, and 234 (15%) while commuting between home and work. These figures are likely to underestimate work-related road fatalities because the coroners' records often did not contain the required information. The incidence of road fatalities declined slightly over the three years, although the proportion amongst all work-related fatalities remained constant. The at-work victims tended to be older than victims of road death generally. Fifty-six percent of the at-work cases were in the occupational group "drivers, road transport". Articulated trucks accounted for 41% of the at-work cases. Drivers made up 79% of the at-work group. In contrast, drivers accounted for only 38% of all road deaths. Two-thirds of the at-work road fatalities occurred outside capital city districts, the proportion of nonmetropolitan cases being highest for deaths involving articulated trucks. This is striking, in view of Australia's highly urbanised population. Blood alcohol data were available for 76% of the at-work cases and 79% of the commuting fatalities. Of these, 15% and 13%, respectively, had a blood alcohol of 0.05 g/100mL or more. In contrast, 6% of other workplace fatalities for which blood alcohol data were available had such levels. This difference may reflect more assiduous blood-alcohol testing of road-accident victims.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Functional adrenal cortical tumors in childhood: a study of ploidy, p53-protein and nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) as prognostic markers

The Washington State Patrol Crash Database and computerized hospitalization records for 1989-1993 were used to determine total hospital charges billed for motor vehicle collision injuries to drivers whose crash reports contained any indication of alcohol use. In this population-based study, total hospital charges were summed, and mean charges and lengths of stay were computed within alcohol use and insurance coverage status categories in an attempt to evaluate the hospital charges billed to public funding and private insurance. Of the total hospital charges for drivers with injuries from motor vehicle collisions for which a police-reported indicator of alcohol use status was available, 43% (U.S.$64.8 million) were for drivers who reportedly had been drinking. At the time of discharge, Medicaid was identified as the payor for 47% of these hospitalizations. The mean hospital charge billed per collision was greater for drinking (U.S.$18,258) than nondrinking drivers (U.S.$14,181). Drinking drivers also had longer hospital stays, even after adjustment for patient age, gender and injury severity. During this time in Washington state, the average annual amount billed at discharge for initial inpatient care of injuries to drivers who reportedly had been drinking at the time of the motor vehicle collision was U.S.$13 million. This includes only the amount assessed by the hospital at the time of discharge for treatment of the initial injury and does not include other related medical charges for rehabilitation or outpatient care, or for doctors' or laboratory fees. As increasing pressures of managed and capitated care lead to a shift of financial risk from the federal government and insurers to states and providers, the financial burden of specific, potentially preventable conditions such as this will receive greater attention.     

Aging, dementia and automobile driving

According to Norwegian law, drivers 70 years and older must carry a health certificate. This is issued by a general practitioner. If the patient is not supposed to drive because of a medical condition, the doctor should report this to the County Health Officer. This can be problematic, not only because assessing whether a patient fulfills the criteria for driving is difficult, but also because the doctor has obligations to both the public and his patient. These problems are discussed, based on assessment of available literature and on personal experience. Dementia is common in old age and affects approximately 15% of persons aged 75 and older. Patients with moderate and severe dementia should certainly not drive. However, some patients with mild dementia can nevertheless be safe drivers. The problem, however, is to identify the safe drivers among patients with mild dementia. The current regulations on dementia and driving are presented briefly.     

Mosquito fauna (Diptera:Culicidae) from Falcon State, Venezuela. I. New records and current checklist

A Markov model was used to assess the cost-benefit ratios of six strategies of screening older drivers for mental status, beginning at age 65. Probabilities of motor vehicle collisions (MVCs), injuries, and fatalities were obtained from national data. Dementia prevalence, test characteristics, and costs were obtained from the literature. Costs included lost wages, car ownership, alternative transportation, and injuries. Using a relative risk of MVC for those with dementia of 5 and a 5% annual discounting rate, the average cost per driver ranged from $51,600 (no testing) to $58,400 (testing every five years). The benefit was < one day of life gained, and the benefits of screening cost approximately 2.8 million dollars per life-year gained. Increasing the relative risk from 5 to 20 substantially improved the cost-benefit of mental status screening. However, mental status screening of older drivers would also be cost-beneficial if physician referral costs were lowered to $60 per evaluation. The authors conclude that a dementia screening program for older drivers would be cost-beneficial if physician evaluations were limited or their cost lowered to < or = $60.     

Driving patterns and medical conditions in older women

OBJECTIVES: To describe driving patterns (e.g., driving frequency) in older women drivers and to evaluate the impact of medical conditions and comorbidity on driving patterns. DESIGN: Cross-sectional examination of the association between medical conditions and driving patterns. SETTING: Population-based cohort from the Pittsburgh Center of the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures (SOF). PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1768 women aged 71 years or older. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Driving information was obtained through a driving questionnaire, including driving status, weekly mileage, longest trip in the past year, etc. Data for demographics, lifestyle behavior, and medical conditions were collected through the SOF study. RESULTS: Among the participants, 1103 (62.3%) were current drivers, 337 (19.1%) had stopped driving, and 329 (18.6%) had never driven in their lifetime. The proportion reporting driving cessation and decline in driving amount increased with age. The prevalence of most medical conditions was higher among former drivers than in current or never drivers. Even after controlling for age and other demographic variables, fractures, heart disease, diabetes, self-reported poor vision or hearing, as well as comorbidity were found to be associated independently with decreased driving amount, including driving cessation, decline in mileage, and avoiding long trips. CONCLUSION: Both individual medical conditions and comorbidity influence driving patterns in older drivers. Because it is common for older people to have several medical conditions simultaneously, comorbidity might be a more comprehensive measure of medical impact on driving.     

Nighttime observations of safety belt use: an evaluation of California's primary law

OBJECTIVES: An analysis was conducted to determine what effect California's change to a primary safety belt law had on safety belt use among nighttime weekend drivers. METHODS: Observations of 18,469 drivers in 2 California communities were made during voluntary roadside surveys conducted every other Friday and Saturday night from 9 PM to 2 AM for 4 years. RESULTS: Rates of safety belt use rose from 73.0% to 95.6% (P < .0005). For drivers with blood alcohol concentrations of 0.10 or higher, rates rose from 53.4% to 92.1% (P < .0005). CONCLUSIONS: Because substantial improvement in safety belt use was seen even in a group of high-risk drivers, the injury reduction benefits of this law may be high.     

Drinking and driving in an urban setting in Kenya

A roadside alcohol prevalence survey of drivers randomly selected from the general traffic was conducted in Eldoret, Kenya. Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) data obtained by a breath test in 90% of the sample (n = 479) was analysed by demographic and travel characteristics. 19.9% had a positive breath test (BAC > or = 5 mg%), 8.4% had BACs greater than 50 mg%, and 4% exceeded 80 mg%. A greater proportion of males (20%) had been drinking compared to females (12.5%): all drivers with high BACs (> or = 50 mg%) were males. The likelihood of having consumed alcohol was greater in motorists aged 25 years and above (20.4%) than in younger drivers aged 16-24 years (15.4%), their mean BACs were also more elevated (57 mg% versus 31 mg%). In comparison to operators of public service vehicles (PSV), people driving personal cars were more than twice as likely to have been drinking: with 21.9% being BAC positive against 10.8% (OR = 2.3; 95% CI, 1.0 to 6.3, p = 0.05). Educated individuals with skilled careers tended to indulge in drink-driving to a greater extent than professional drivers (operators of public transport, taxi and heavy goods vehicles), with BAC prevalence rates of 23.7% and 15.5%, respectively. Other circumstances influencing the probability of drink-driving were number of vehicle occupants, distance to destination, road location, time of the night and whether it was a weekend or weekday. These findings are discussed in relation to the potential for promotion of relevant deterrent measures, including the establishment of an appropriate BAC legal limit for drivers in Kenya.     

Burial and seed survival in Brassica napus subsp. oleifera and Sinapis arvensis including a comparison of transgenic and non-transgenic lines of the crop

The creation of transgenic plants through genetic engineering has focused interest on how the fitness of a plant species may be altered by small changes in its genome. This study concentrates on a key component of fitness: persistence of seeds overwinter. Seeds of three lines of oilseed rape (Brassica napus subsp. oleifera DC Metzger) and of charlock (Sinapis arvensis L.) were buried in nylon mesh bags at two depths in four habitats in each of three geographically separated sites: Cornwall, Berkshire and Sutherland. Seeds were recovered after 12 and 24 months. Charlock exhibited much greater seed survival (average 60% surviving the first year and 32.5% surviving the second year) than oilseed rape (1.5% surviving the first year and 0.2% surviving the second) at all sites. Charlock showed higher survival at 15 cm burial than 2 cm burial at certain sites, but oilseed rape showed no depth effect. Different genetic lines of oilseed rape displayed different rates of seed survival; non-transgenic rape showed greater survival (2%) than the two transgenic lines, one developed for tolerance to the antibiotic kanamycin (0.3%) and one for tolerance to both kanamycin and the herbicide glufosinate (0.25%). The absolute and relative performances of the different genetic lines of oilseed rape were context specific, illustrating the need to test hypotheses in a wide range of ecological settings.     

Brain imaging, culpability and the juvenile death penalty.

In Roper v. Simmons (2005), the U.S. Supreme Court banned the death penalty for offenders under the age of 18 years. Central to Simmons's defense was new brain imaging evidence suggesting that the regions of the brain responsible for decision making and impulse control are not as well developed in adolescents as in adults, thereby rendering adolescents less culpable for the crimes they commit. Although these images were not explicitly cited in the Court's decision, they were hailed by anti-death penalty advocates as the wave of the future. However, legal advocates and scientists should be cautious in using cutting-edge neuroscience for criminal justice purposes for several reasons. First and foremost, no definitive link between brain structure and deviant behavior has been established. Furthermore, very little is known about the developmental threshold that separates juvenile decision-making ability from adultlike decision-making ability. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Wiring, dysmorphogenesis and epilepsy: a hypothesis

Cerebral cortical dysgenesis has been found by magnetic resonance imaging to be the second most common pathology underlying medically refractory chronic partial epilepsy. Patients with the latter condition form the largest group in specialist epilepsy clinics. The pathogenesis of the epilepsy in cortical dysgenesis remains largely obscure. The most popular current hypothesis holds neuronal misconnection secondary to neuronal malpositioning culpable for seizure activity. However, a review of the published literature of cortical dysgenesis and an analysis of newer magnetic resonance and histopathological data, suggests that this view is no longer tenable. A modified hypothesis is proposed in which neuronal connectivity itself is postulated to be the primary motive force in both cerebral morphogenesis and epileptogenesis in cases of cortical dysgenesis. This hypothesis leads to the generation of a model for cortical development and directly testable predictions of intercellular connectivity, as well as a potential tool for the prediction of the possibility of freedom from seizure activity after surgical resection of dysgenetic lesions in individual cases.     

Modification of driving behavior in a large transport organization: A field experiment.

To change the driving behavior of mail-van drivers so as to encourage energy saving, a program was developed and implemented in the Netherlands Postal and Telecommunications Services (PTT). Based on empirical analysis, 3 approaches were used to influence driving behavior: providing information, providing task assignment and control, and providing feedback on gasoline consumption. The effectiveness of the program was tested in a field experiment. Attitudes, social norms, and reported behavior changed, and energy savings of more than 7% were achieved, compared with a control group. From an economic point of view, further implementation in the PTT organization could be attractive. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)