Reported prevalence of health conditions that affect drivers

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 caus...

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Main Authors: Francisco Alonso, Cristina Esteban, Jaime Sanmartín, Sergio A. Useche
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2017-01-01
Series:Cogent Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/2331205X.2017.1303920
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author Francisco Alonso
Cristina Esteban
Jaime Sanmartín
Sergio A. Useche
author_facet Francisco Alonso
Cristina Esteban
Jaime Sanmartín
Sergio A. Useche
author_sort Francisco Alonso
collection DOAJ
description 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 frequently. As a first result, 42% of the participants considered that sometimes they were not in good health conditions to drive and 1.8% considered it frequently. Furthermore, fatigue, alcohol, negative emotions, drowsiness, headaches, respiratory disease, and fever the most prevalent health conditions impairing driver’s fitness. Statistical analysis revealed gender differences in reported health and fitness between male and female drivers. The main cause reported to avoid driving task was to suffer illnesses related to physical health (77.6% of drivers). Based on this study, it can be stated that the Administration should work together with the primary health care system in order to improve drivers’ awareness on the risk of driving while suffering symptoms of any common physical or mental illness.
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spelling doaj.art-4fb137c336c94f98a91bbcff3ccf7ddc2022-12-22T03:37:54ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCogent Medicine2331-205X2017-01-014110.1080/2331205X.2017.13039201303920Reported prevalence of health conditions that affect driversFrancisco Alonso0Cristina Esteban1Jaime Sanmartín2Sergio A. Useche3DATS (Development and Advising in Traffic Safety) Research Group, INTRAS (Traffic and Road Safety Institute), University of ValenciaDATS (Development and Advising in Traffic Safety) Research Group, INTRAS (Traffic and Road Safety Institute), University of ValenciaMETRAS Research Group (Measurement, Evaluation, Analysis, and Data Processing of Traffic Accidents and Road Safety), INTRAS (Traffic and Road Safety Institute), University of ValenciaDATS (Development and Advising in Traffic Safety) Research Group, INTRAS (Traffic and Road Safety Institute), University of ValenciaDrivers’ 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 frequently. As a first result, 42% of the participants considered that sometimes they were not in good health conditions to drive and 1.8% considered it frequently. Furthermore, fatigue, alcohol, negative emotions, drowsiness, headaches, respiratory disease, and fever the most prevalent health conditions impairing driver’s fitness. Statistical analysis revealed gender differences in reported health and fitness between male and female drivers. The main cause reported to avoid driving task was to suffer illnesses related to physical health (77.6% of drivers). Based on this study, it can be stated that the Administration should work together with the primary health care system in order to improve drivers’ awareness on the risk of driving while suffering symptoms of any common physical or mental illness.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/2331205X.2017.1303920driver behaviortraffic fitnesspsychophysical healthmedical conditionsdrivers’ health
spellingShingle Francisco Alonso
Cristina Esteban
Jaime Sanmartín
Sergio A. Useche
Reported prevalence of health conditions that affect drivers
Cogent Medicine
driver behavior
traffic fitness
psychophysical health
medical conditions
drivers’ health
title Reported prevalence of health conditions that affect drivers
title_full Reported prevalence of health conditions that affect drivers
title_fullStr Reported prevalence of health conditions that affect drivers
title_full_unstemmed Reported prevalence of health conditions that affect drivers
title_short Reported prevalence of health conditions that affect drivers
title_sort reported prevalence of health conditions that affect drivers
topic driver behavior
traffic fitness
psychophysical health
medical conditions
drivers’ health
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/2331205X.2017.1303920
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