Disposição e alternativas ao dirigir alcoolizado entre jovens paulistanos

Evaluating the Brazilian zero tolerance drinking and driving law: Time series analyses of traffic-related mortality in three major cities

OBJECTIVE

A zero tolerance alcohol restriction law was adopted in Brazil in 2008. In order to assess the effectiveness of this intervention, the present study compares specific mortality in 2 time series: 1980-2007 and 2008-2013.

METHODS

Data on mortality and population were gathered from official Brazilian Ministry of Health information systems. Segmented regression analyses were carried out separately for 3 major Brazilian capitals: Belo Horizonte, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo.

RESULTS

In 2 cities (Belo Horizonte and Rio de Janeiro) there were no significant changes in mortality rate trends in 2 periods, 1980 to 2007 and 2008 to 2013, where the observed rates did not differ significantly from predicted rates. In São Paulo, a decreasing trend until 2007 unexpectedly assumed higher levels after implementation of the law.

CONCLUSION

There is no evidence of reduced traffic-related mortality in the 3 major Brazilian capitals 5.5 years after the zero tolerance drinking and driving law was adopted.

High-risk behaviors and experiences with traffic law among night drivers in Curitiba, Brazil

OBJECTIVE

To explore high-risk behaviors and experiences with traffic law among night drivers in Curitiba, Brazil.

METHOD

Data from 398 drivers on sociodemographic parameters, high-risk behaviors, experiences with traffic law, and traffic law violations were collected through interviews conducted at sobriety checkpoints. Exploratory-descriptive and analytical statistics were used.

RESULTS

The mean age of the participants was 32.6±11.2 years (range, 18 to 75 years). Half of the drivers reported having driven after drinking in the last year, predominantly single men aged 18 to 29 years who drive cars and drink alcohol frequently. Only 55% of the drivers who had driven after drinking in the last year self-reported some concern about being detected in a police operation.

CONCLUSIONS

A significant association was found between sociodemographic variables and behavior, which can help tailor public interventions to a specific group of drivers: young men who exhibit high-risk behaviors in traffic, such as driving after drinking alcohol, some of whom report heavy alcohol consumption. This group represents a challenge for educational and enforcement interventions, particularly because they admit to violating current laws and have a low perception of punishment due to the low risk of being detected by the police.

Drinking and driving in southeastern Brazil: results from a roadside survey study

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to present data from a roadside survey study on drinking and driving and alcohol consumption in southeastern Brazil.

METHODS

A cross-sectional roadside survey study using a questionnaire and breathalyzer data is the method used to determine the prevalence of drinking and driving and to examine whether socio-demographic characteristics and drivers' behavior, attitude and alcohol consumption predicted positive blood alcohol content (BAC). The data were gathered from 2005 to 2007 through roadside surveys conducted on high volume public roads in four cities in southeastern Brazil. A total of 4182 randomly selected drivers took part in the research. Of these drivers, 3488 (83.4%) completed the questionnaire and agreed to take a breath test.

RESULTS

Overall, 24.6% of drivers had a detectable blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and 15.9% had a BAC above the legal limit (0.6g/l) at the time of the study. Logistic regression controlling for locale (city), sex, age and marital status was used to predict whether each driver would present a positive breath test. Socio-demographic characteristics, driving behaviors and attitudes, and alcohol consumption patterns were included as predictors. These analyses indicated that those who believed drinking and driving was a serious offense were about two-thirds as likely to have a positive breath test, and that drivers reporting a pattern of regular alcohol use were three times as likely to have a positive breath test.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicate that drinking and driving is relatively common in Brazil, and that it occurs considerably more frequently than similar surveys suggest, is the case in other countries.

Addiction research centres and the nurturing of creativity. National institute on alcohol and drugs policies, Brazil

The National Institute of Public Policy for Alcohol and Other Drugs (INPAD) is based at the Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil, and was created to collect scientific evidence regarding epidemiology, develop new therapeutic approaches, study health economics and provide education to subsidize the proper measures to change the Brazilian scenario of alcohol and drug consumption. Policies directed towards the control of alcohol and drugs in Brazil are fragmented, poorly enforced and therefore ineffective. The unregulated market of alcohol in Brazil has contributed to the worsening health of the Brazilian population. Since 1994, INPAD has participated actively in academic debates and discussions about alcohol and drug policies and their effects on the political welfare of the country. Many scientific papers and books have been published on this subject, and the internet and other media have provided excellent opportunities for the dissemination of specialized information to the general population.

Perfil das vítimas de trauma por acidente de moto atendidas em um serviço público de emergência

No Brasil, observa-se um aumento dos acidentes envolvendo motocicletas. Este estudo objetivou caracterizar as vítimas desse tipo de acidente atendidas em um serviço de emergência no Piauí. Pesquisa quantitativa com amostra de 430 vítimas. A análise mostrou predominância do sexo masculino, na faixa etária de 15 a 24 anos e procedentes do próprio estado. Observou-se que 301 dessas vítimas eram condutores da motocicleta, 81 passageiros e 48 foram atropelados por moto. Verificou-se que 76,05% das vítimas sofreram acidente de quinta-feira a domingo, 80,75% apresentaram seqüelas temporárias e 52,33% dos acidentes ocorreram no período noturno. Os tipos de lesão corresponderam em 69,3% dos casos a ferimentos; 51,4% a fraturas; 27,44% a hematomas; e 20,7% a traumatismos cranioencefálicos. Entre as vítimas de acidente, condutores da moto e suspeitos de ingestão de álcool, 52,07% não utilizavam capacete no momento do acidente. A maioria das vítimas recebeu alta hospitalar e 14 foram a óbito. Conclui-se que o trauma provocado pelos acidentes envolvendo motocicletas merece atenção, especialmente em relação ao planejamento de ações preventivas, assim como controle de sua ocorrência no estado.

Graduated driver licensing and teenage driver research in 2006

This is the third update of research on graduated driver licensing (GDL) and related teenage driver issues. It briefly summarizes research published since or not included in the 2005 update (Hedlund, J., & Compton, R. (2005). Graduated driver licensing research in 2004 and 2005. Journal of Safety Research, 36(2), 109-119.), describes research in progress of which the authors are aware, and announces plans for a symposium on teenage driving and GDL to be held in February 2007.