Driver behaviour and traffic accident involvement among professional heavy semi-trailer truck drivers in China.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Han W
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8638885 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:BackgroundTrucks represent 6% of all vehicles, but truck crashes account for 20% of road deaths in Israel, even though travel distances are usually short (<200 km) and overnight travel is uncommon.ObjectiveTo determine occupational and individual predictors of fatigue, falling asleep at the wheel, and involvement in crashes with injuries and deaths in truck drivers.Setting and methodsWe carried out field interviews of 160 port truck drivers regarding driver characteristics, workplace and driving conditions, employer-employee relations, medical conditions, sleep quality and fatigue, falling asleep at the wheel, and involvement in road crashes.ResultsOne day before interview, 38.1% of the drivers had worked more than the 12 hour legal limit. More than 30% reported falling asleep at the wheel recently, and 13% had prior involvement in a sleep related crash. Sixty seven (41.9%) drivers said that their employer forced them to work beyond the legal 12 hour daily limit. Involvement in a crash with casualties was associated with poor sleep quality (adjusted OR = 2.9; p = 0.042) and frequent difficulty finding parking when tired (OR = 3.7; p = 0.049). Self assessment of fatigue underestimated fatigue from the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Questionnaire. However fatigue occurred in many drivers without sleep problems and many crashes occurred without fatigue.ConclusionsPrevention requires measures to reduce work stresses, screening drivers, speed control, and modal shifts. The work risks and adverse outcomes of truck drivers in large countries with long overnight journeys occur in a small country with small distances, relatively short work journeys, and little overnight travel.
| S-EPMC1730197 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThis study provides a national profile of occupational fatalities among truck drivers and driver-sales workers.MethodsData from the 2003-2008 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries were used. Cases were extracted specifically for occupational subcategories included in the Driver/Sales Workers and Truck Drivers occupational category: Driver/Sales Workers, Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers, and Light Truck or Delivery Services Drivers.ResultsIn 2003-2008, the group Driver/Sales Workers and Truck Drivers had 5,568 occupational fatalities, representing 17% of all occupational fatalities in the United States. The majority of these fatalities were in the subgroup Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers (85%) and due to transportation incidents (80%). Older and male drivers had higher fatality rates than their counterparts.ConclusionsFindings suggest a need for targeted interventions to reduce highway fatalities among heavy truck drivers. Better employment data are needed to separate the three occupational subcategories by worker characteristic and employment history for use in research and prevention efforts.
| S-EPMC4565185 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectiveThis study investigated drivers' subjective feelings and decision making in mixed traffic by quantifying driver's driving style and type of interaction.BackgroundHuman-driven vehicles (HVs) will share the road with automated vehicles (AVs) in mixed traffic. Previous studies focused on simulating the impacts of AVs on traffic flow, investigating car-following situations, and using simulation analysis lacking experimental tests of human drivers.MethodThirty-six drivers were classified into three driver groups (aggressive, moderate, and defensive drivers) and experienced HV-AV interaction and HV-HV interaction in a supervised web-based experiment. Drivers' subjective feelings and decision making were collected via questionnaires.ResultsResults revealed that aggressive and moderate drivers felt significantly more anxious, less comfortable, and were more likely to behave aggressively in HV-AV interaction than in HV-HV interaction. Aggressive drivers were also more likely to take advantage of AVs on the road. In contrast, no such differences were found for defensive drivers indicating they were not significantly influenced by the type of vehicles with which they were interacting.ConclusionDriving style and type of interaction significantly influenced drivers' subjective feelings and decision making in mixed traffic. This study brought insights into how human drivers perceive and interact with AVs and HVs on the road and how human drivers take advantage of AVs.ApplicationThis study provided a foundation for developing guidelines for mixed transportation systems to improve driver safety and user experience.
| S-EPMC10757400 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThe high prevalence of obesity among commercial truck drivers may be related to sedentary nature of the job, lack of healthy eating choices, and lack of exercise. There may be a link between obesity and crash risk, therefore an intervention to reduce obesity in this population is needed.ObjectiveTo assess feasibility of a 12-week weight loss intervention for truck drivers with a weight loss goal of 10% of initial body weight.MethodsDrivers were selected based on age (≥21 years) and body mass index (≥30 kg/m^2). The drivers participated in a before-after clinical trial. The intervention included a 12-week program that provided information on healthy diet and increasing exercise, and telephone-based coaching using SMART goals. Outcomes included change from baseline in reported energy intake, measured weight, waist, hip, and neck circumference, blood pressure, and point of care capillary blood lipids and hemoglobin A1c. Exit interviews were conducted to gain insight into driver opinions on the program features and usefulness. This study was registered with the NIH Clinical Trials Registry, number NCT02348983.Results12 of 13 drivers completed the study. Weight loss was statistically significant (p=0.03). Reported energy (p=0.005), total fat consumption (p=0.04), and saturated fat consumption (p=0.02) intake were also lower after the 12-week intervention. Drivers attributed their weight loss to health coaching and suggested a longer intervention so that they could reach their goal and become accustomed to the changes.ConclusionThis weight loss intervention is feasible for this difficult population. Additional research is needed to compare this intervention with a control group.
| S-EPMC6977040 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The aim of this study was to summarise the scientific evidence on the prevalence of psychoactive substance use and on the factors associated with their intake among truck drivers. A systematic review was performed in the databases PubMed, Scientific Electronic Library Online, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences, and Cochrane and 36 cross-sectional studies were identified with quantitative results about the use of psychoactive substances by truck drivers. Out of these, 28 were carried out in countries with large land areas and 23 obtained their information through self-reporting. The most frequently studied substances were alcohol (n=25), amphetamines (n=17), marijuana (n=16) and cocaine (n=13). The prevalence of the use of these substances greatly varied: alcohol (0.1-91.0%); amphetamines (0.2-82.5%), marijuana (0.2-29.9%), cocaine (0.1-8.3%). The frequency of substance use was lower in studies that investigated the presence of these substances in biological samples than in those based on self-reported use. In 12 studies that evaluated factors associated with the intake of psychoactive substances, the following stood out: younger age, higher income, longer trips, alcohol consumption, driving in the night shift, travelling interstate routes, long or short sleep, fewer hours of rest, little experience of the driver, connection with small and medium sized companies, income below levels determined by labour agreements, productivity-based earnings and prior involvement in accidents. The frequency of psychoactive substance use by truck drivers seems to be high, although that greatly varies according to the type of substance and the method of collecting the information. The use of these substances was mainly associated with indicators of poor working conditions.
| S-EPMC3888602 | biostudies-literature
Project description:In 2008, the proportion of truck drivers who were not systematically protected during sex was 63% with casual partners and 60% with sex workers. Despite the high level of knowledge on HIV/AIDS and the growing awareness of the existence of the risk of HIV infection, condom use always encounters resistance among truck drivers in Togo. We sought to document the factors associated with condom use during casual sex among trucks' drivers in Togo.This was an analytical cross-sectional study conducted in 2010 and targeted truckers at truck station on the two main roads of Togo, Lomé-Cinkassé and Kodjoviakopé-Sanvee Condji.In this study, 1,782 trucks' drivers and their helpers were interviewed. All were men, and their mean age was 28.8 ± 8.8 years. Trucks' drivers were doing an average of 3 stops on their journeys and 1,229 (69%) of them had at least two years of experience in the work. Of the 1,782 trucks' drivers, only 620 (34.8%) had consistently used condoms during casual sex in the last three months. In multivariate analysis, predictors were: education level (primary schooling: OR = 1.54; p = 0.002; Secondary schooling and higher OR = 1.38; p = 0.036), good knowledge of ways of HIV transmission (OR = 1.53; p = 0.000), tested for HIV (OR = 1.67, p = 0.000), duration in the profession (2-5 years: OR = 1.43, p = 0.008; more than 5 years: OR = 1.38, p = 0.027), and HIV risk's perception (OR = 1.44, p = 0.000).These results highlight factors associated with consistent condom use during casual sex by truck drivers in Togo. This is a key population group at high risk of HIV transmission toward which the national HIV/AIDS control program should strengthen the HIV prevention strategies.
| S-EPMC4829217 | biostudies-other
Project description:ObjectivesLifestyle and working conditions of truck drivers predisposes them to risk-factors associated with communicable and non-communicable diseases, but little is known about the health status of African truck driver. This study aims to assess a cross-section of truckers in South Africa to describe their health information.SettingThe study took place across three truck-stop rest areas in the South African provinces of Free State and Gauteng.ParticipantsEligibility criteria included being males aged 18 years and older, full-time employment as a long-distance truck driver. A total of 614 male truck drivers participated; 384 (63%) were Zimbabwean and 325 (55%) completed high-school.Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe trucker survey explored demographics; working conditions; sexual, eating and sleeping behaviours; mental health status, medical history and cardiac risk-factors. Medical assessments included physical measurements, glucose and lipid measurements, ECG, carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and cardiac ultrasound.ResultsIn the previous month, 554 (91%) participants were sexually active; 522 (86%) had sex with a regular partner; 174 (27%) with a casual partner; 87 (14%) with a sex worker. Average time driving was 10?hours/day, 20?days/month, 302 (50%) never worked night shifts and 74 (12%) worked nights approximately four times per week. 112 (18%) experienced daytime sleepiness and 59 (10%) were ever hospitalised from an accident. Forty-seven (8%, 95% CI 5.3 to 9.5) were HIV-positive, with half taking antiretrovirals. Forty-eight (8%) truckers had some moderate depression, while 21 (4%) suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. Reported tuberculosis, myocardial infarction, and diabetes were <3%. Prominent cardiac risk-factors included smoking (n=63, 11%), consuming alcohol (>15 drinks/week) (n=54, 9%), overweight/obesity (n=417, 69%), and hypertension (n=220, 36%,95% CI 32.1 to 39.7). ECG results showed 23 (4.9%) and 29 (5.3%) drivers had left ventricular hypertrophy using the Cornell criterion and product, respectively. CIMT measurements indicated nine (4.2%) drivers had a carotid atherosclerotic plaque.ConclusionThis first holistic assessment of health among southern African male truck drivers demonstrates substantial addressable cardiovascular risk factors, mental health issues and sexual risk behaviours.
| S-EPMC6830589 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundIn a cluster-randomized trial, the Safety and Health Involvement For Truck drivers intervention produced statistically significant and medically meaningful weight loss at 6 months (-3.31 kg between-group difference). The current manuscript evaluates the relative impact of intervention components on study outcomes among participants in the intervention condition who reported for a postintervention health assessment (n = 134) to encourage the adoption of effective tactics and inform future replications, tailoring, and enhancements.MethodsThe Safety and Health Involvement For Truck drivers intervention was implemented in a Web-based computer and smartphone-accessible format and included a group weight loss competition and body weight and behavioral self-monitoring with feedback, computer-based training, and motivational interviewing. Indices were calculated to reflect engagement patterns for these components, and generalized linear models quantified predictive relationships between participation in intervention components and outcomes.ResultsParticipants who completed the full program-defined dose of the intervention had significantly greater weight loss than those who did not. Behavioral self-monitoring, computer-based training, and health coaching were significant predictors of dietary changes, whereas behavioral and body weight self-monitoring was the only significant predictor of changes in physical activity. Behavioral and body weight self-monitoring was the strongest predictor of weight loss.ConclusionWeb-based self-monitoring of body weight and health behaviors was a particularly impactful tactic in our mobile health intervention. Findings advance the science of behavior change in mobile health intervention delivery and inform the development of health programs for dispersed populations.
| S-EPMC6428992 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The rapid development of the economy has promoted the growth of freight transportation. The truck service areas on expressways, as the main places for truck drivers to rest, play an important role in ensuring the driving safety of trucks. If these service areas are constructed densely or provide a plentiful supply of parking areas, they are costly to construct. However, if the distance between two adjacent truck service areas is very large or the number of truck parking spaces in service areas is small, the supply will fail to meet the parking needs of truck drivers. In this situation, the continuous working time of truck drivers will be longer, and this is likely to cause driver fatigue and even traffic accidents. To address these issues, this paper established a non-linear optimization model for truck service area planning of expressways to optimize truck driving safety. An improved genetic algorithm is proposed to solve the model. A case study of a 215.5-kilometers-length section of the Guang-Kun expressway in China was used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the model and algorithm. As validated by this specific case, the proposed model and solution algorithm can provide an optimal plan for the layout of truck service areas that meet the parking needs of truck drivers while minimizing the service loss rate. The research results of this paper can contribute to the construction of truck service areas and the parking management of trucks on expressways.
| S-EPMC9379340 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) occurs after exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence. Road traffic accident (RTA) is one of the traumatic experiences, which may result in PTSD. But treatment is mainly concentrated on physical health. This may be due to a lack of evidence in low-income countries. Aim: To determine the incidence level and identify risk factors of PTSD after RTA. Methods: Longitudinal panel study was done to assess the incidence of PTSD after RTA. The study was conducted in three orthopedic settings of Bahir Dar town Northwest, Ethiopia. The study was on 299 adult car accident survivors. PTSD Checklist (PCL) civilian version, Sheehan disability assessment scale, Patient Health Question (PHQ-2), and Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) were instruments to assess the outcome and associated factors. The generalized linear model with Poisson log-linear method was applied to identify associated factors. Ethical clearance was obtained from Bahir Dar University. Individuals with PTSD symptoms were linked to the psychiatric clinic. Result: One hundred thirty-nine (46.5%) participants had at least three extremely severe symptoms that fulfil criteria B, C, and D of Diagnostic Statistical Manual IV of PTSD. The most frequent severe symptoms were having repeated, disturbing memories, thoughts, or images. Two hundred ten (70.2%) participants reported the extreme impact of the accident on work or schooling and 156 (51.9%) reported extreme problems in social functioning. Alcohol dependence, hazardous alcohol consumption, and harmful use were reported by 7.9%, 15.1%, and 4.7% of the participants, respectively. In the final model witnessing death, severe sleep problem and severe impairment in family functioning were significantly associated with PTSD. Conclusion: Nearly half of RTA survivors develop PTSD. Clinicians need to link these patients to the psychiatry clinic. Special attention should be given to patients who witnessed death, with a serious disability, and previous psychiatric history.
| S-EPMC6659351 | biostudies-literature