Recidivist drink drivers self reported reasons for driving whilst unlicensed: A qualitative analysis

Aim: This paper presents qualitative data from an in-depth interview study of 40 repeat drink drivers in Perth Western Australia to inform countermeasures for these high risk offenders. Background: Licence sanctions are effective countermeasures for most drink drivers but the small group of repeat offenders are less responsive. Many choose to drive while unlicensed as the probability of detection is low and the social and economic costs of not driving can be high. This undermines other drink drive countermeasures.Results: Most respondents who had had their licence suspended admitted to driving while under suspension. Employment and social factors were key themes emerging in respondents accounts of driving while under licence suspension. Conclusions: While a range of enforcement countermeasures are needed to deter drunk and unlicensed driving, this study suggests that where possible we aim to keep offenders within the system that consists of formal laws and informal social controls, rather than apply penalties in ways that undermine adherence to the law by increasing unlicensed driving. Allowing for interlock installation early in the driving suspension period, and allowing fines to offset cost of interlock installation and monitoring, may maximise community benefit and reduce unlicensed driving

Health conditions of heavy vehicle drivers involved in a crash in Western Australia: a retrospective study using linked data

Issue addressed:This retrospective study investigated the health conditions of a cohort of heavy vehicle drivers involved in a crash in Western Australia.Methods: Hospital separation records of heavy vehicle drivers admitted to hospital as a result of a road crash between 1 January 1988 and 31 December 2000 in Western Australia were analysed. Heavy vehicle drivers involved in a crash were first identified using the Western Australian Road Injury Database before linking to their hospital records. All hospital admissions for each driver admitted to hospital for a crash at least once during the study period were subsequently retrieved from the Health Services Linked Database.Results: There were 146 heavy vehicle drivers in the cohort. A total of 964 distinct in-patient episodes (the collection of all hospital admissions for a single event) were recorded for these drivers, with a minimum of one and a maximum of 84 hospital in-patient episodes per driver. The mean number of in-patient episodes for each driver was seven (SD=8.44), including an in-patient episode for a heavy vehicle crash.Conclusion: The evidence presented for the cohort of heavy vehicle drivers hospitalised as a result of road crash confirms that these drivers are characterised with health conditions such as musculoskeletal problems and digestive disorders

The role of self breath-testing devices in the Kimberley region of Western Australia

Issue addressed: To examine the role that alcohol breath-testing devices in licensed premises may have in rural and remote areas of Australia. Methods: Data to monitor the use of the wall-mounted, alcohol breath-testing devices were collected by download from the devices themselves and through survey tools for bar staff and the patrons of licensed premises. A total of 488 patrons of licensed premises were interviewed for the pre-intervention data collection and 952 patrons were interviewed post-intervention. Hand-held devices were used by 434 people at large social gatherings and all of these completed a questionnaire. Eighty-three bar staff were interviewed over the course of the project and 54 observations were made of their serving practices. A total of 695 observations of the methods of transport used by patrons leaving licensed premises were made pre- intervention and 1,095 were made post-intervention. Crash data for the year preceding the installation of the devices were compared with data that covered the period of the project. Results: Free-for-use alcohol breath-testing devices were acceptable to and supported by bar staff and people who consumed alcohol in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Although there was no change in patrons\u27 attitudes to drink- driving and drink-walking during the post-intervention period, there was an increase in the proportion of patrons who walked home with others and a reduction in those who travelled in vehicles as passengers. Indigenous people were less likely to intend driving, were less likely to be driving and were less likely to consider it important to stay under the legal limit when driving. The reverse, however, was true for drink walking. Conclusions: Alcohol breath-testing devices may have a role in rural and remote areas if they are well maintained and supported by education of bar staff and the public as they provide patrons with information about blood-alcohol levels that appears to affect decisions to walk home after consuming alcohol

Role of mobile phones in motor vehicle crashes resulting in hospital attendance: a case-crossover study

Objectives To explore the effect of drivers' use of mobile (cell) phones on road safety. Design A case-crossover study. Setting Perth, Western Australia. Participants 456 drivers aged ≥ 17 years who owned or used mobile phones and had been involved in road crashes necessitating hospital attendance between April 2002 and July 2004. Main outcome measure Driver's use of mobile phone at estimated time of crash and on trips at the same time of day in the week before the crash. Interviews with drivers in hospital and phone company's records of phone use. Results Driver's use of a mobile phone up to 10 minutes before a crash was associated with a fourfold increased likelihood of crashing (odds ratio 4.1, 95% confidence interval 2.2 to 7.7, P < 0.001). Risk was raised irrespective of whether or not a hands-free device was used (hands-free: 3.8, 1.8 to 8.0, P < 0.001; hand held: 4.9, 1.6 to 15.5, P = 0.003). Increased risk was similar in men and women and in drivers aged ≥ 30 and < 30 years. A third (n = 21) of calls before crashes and on trips during the previous week were reportedly on hand held phones. Conclusions When drivers use a mobile phone there is an increased likelihood of a crash resulting in injury. Using a hands-free phone is not any safer