Aims
Evaluate the effects of lowering the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit on road traffic fatalities and injuries in the State and capital of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Design
Time series analysis using ARIMA modelling.
Setting
The augmented risk of road traffic accidents when under the influence of alcohol is well documented. However, many developing countries do not have a drink-driving law or have BAC limits that are above 0.05 g/dl. In Brazil, a new law introduced in 2008 has lowered the BAC limit for drivers from 0.06 to 0.02, but the effectiveness in reducing traffic accidents remains uncertain.
Measurements and participants
Data on injuries and deaths caused by road traffic accidents in both regions were collected from January 2001 to June 2010, comprising a total of 1,417,087 injuries and 51,561 fatalities.
Findings
The new traffic law was responsible for significant reductions in traffic injuries and fatalities rates in both localities (P<0.05). A stronger effect was observed for traffic fatalities (−7.2 and −16.0% in the average monthly rate in the State and capital, respectively) compared to traffic injuries rates (−1.8 and −2.3% in the State and capital, respectively).
Conclusions
Lowering BAC limits had a greater impact on traffic fatalities than injuries, with a higher effect in the capital where presumably the police enforcement was enhanced, and points to the relevance of these measures on the effectiveness of such law. Rigorous investigations on the effects of strategies derived from high-income countries to control alcohol-impaired driving should be promoted in developing countries.
This research provides evidence that not only alcohol but also illicit drug use is a real problem among professional drivers. The use of these substances should be controlled to better promote safe driving conditions on Brazilian roads.
OBJECTIVE To test whether the occupational conditions of professional truck drivers are associated with amphetamine use after demographic characteristics and ones regarding mental health and drug use are controlled for.METHODS Cross-sectional study, with a non-probabilistic sample of 684 male truck drivers, which was collected in three highways in Sao Paulo between years 2012 and 2013. Demographic and occupational information was collected, as well as data on drug use and mental health (sleep quality, emotional stress, and psychiatric disorders). A logistic regression model was developed to identify factors associated with amphetamine use. Odds ratio (OR; 95%CI) was defined as the measure for association. The significance level was established as p < 0.05.RESULTS The studied sample was found to have an average age of 36.7 (SD = 7.8) years, as well as low education (8.6 [SD = 2.3] years); 29.0% of drivers reported having used amphetamines within the twelve months prior to their interviews. After demographic and occupational variables had been controlled for, the factors which indicated amphetamine use among truck drivers were the following: being younger than 38 years (OR = 3.69), having spent less than nine years at school (OR = 1.76), being autonomous (OR = 1.65), working night shifts or irregular schedules (OR = 2.05), working over 12 hours daily (OR = 2.14), and drinking alcohol (OR = 1.74).CONCLUSIONS Occupational aspects are closely related to amphetamine use among truck drivers, which reinforces the importance of closely following the application of law (Resting Act (“Lei do Descanso”); Law 12,619/2012) which regulates the workload and hours of those professionals. Our results show the need for increased strictness on the trade and prescription of amphetamines in Brazil.
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