Search

Background: Migraine headache is common in older adults, often causing symptoms that may affect driving safety. This study examined associations of migraine with motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) and driving habits in older drivers and assessed modification of associations by medication use. Methods: In a multi‐site, prospective cohort study of active drivers aged 65–79 (53% female), we assessed prevalent migraine (i.e., ever had migraine, reported at enrollment), incident migraine (diagnosis first reported at a follow‐up visit), and medications typically used for migraine prophylaxis and treatment. During 2‐year follow‐up, we recorded self‐reported MVCs and measured driving habits using in‐vehicle GPS devices. Associations of prevalent migraine with driving outcomes were estimated in multivariable mixed models. Using a matched design, associations of incident migraine with MVCs in the subsequent year were estimated with conditional logistic regression. Interactions between migraine and medications were tested in all models. Results: Of 2589 drivers, 324 (12.5%) reported prevalent migraine and 34 (1.3%) incident migraine. Interactions between migraine and medications were not statistically significant in any models. Prevalent migraine was not associated with MVCs in the subsequent 2 years (adjusted OR [aOR] = 0.98; 95% CI: 0.72, 1.35), whereas incident migraine significantly increased the odds of having an MVC within 1 year (aOR = 3.27; 1.21, 8.82). Prevalent migraine was associated with small reductions in driving days and trips per month and increases in hard braking events in adjusted models. Conclusion: Our results suggest substantially increased likelihood of MVCs in the year after newly diagnosed migraine, indicating a potential need for driving safety interventions in these patients. We found little evidence for MVC risk or substantial changes in driving habits associated with prevalent migraine. Future research should examine timing, frequency, and severity of migraine diagnosis and symptoms, and use of medications specifically prescribed for migraine, in relation to driving outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Polypharmacy use among older adults is of increasing concern for driving safety. This study assesses the individual and joint effects of benzodiazepines and prescription opioids on the incidence of hard braking events in older drivers. Methods: Data for this study came from the Longitudinal Research on Aging Drivers project—a multisite, prospective cohort study of 2990 drivers aged 65–79 years at enrollment (2015–2017). Adjusted incidence rate ratios (aIRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of hard braking events (defined as maneuvers with deceleration rates ≥0.4 g and commonly known as near‐crashes) were estimated through multivariable negative binominal modeling. Results: Of the 2929 drivers studied, 167 (5.7%) were taking benzodiazepines, 163 (5.6%) prescription opioids, and 23 (0.8%) both drugs at baseline. The incidence rates of hard braking events per 1000 miles driven were 1.14 (95% CI 1.10–1.18) for drivers using neither benzodiazepines nor prescription opioids, 1.25 (95% CI 1.07–1.43) for those using benzodiazepines only, 1.55 (95% CI 1.35–1.76) for those using prescription opioids only, and 1.63 (95% CI 1.11–2.16) for those using both medications. Multivariable modeling revealed that the use of prescription opioids was associated with a 19% increased risk of hard braking events (aIRR 1.19, 95% CI 1.03–1.36). There existed a positive interaction between the two drugs on the additive scale but not on the multiplicative scale. Conclusion: Concurrent use of benzodiazepines and prescription opioids by older drivers appears to affect driving safety through increased incidence of hard braking events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute cannabis use is associated with a higher risk of motor vehicle crashes (MVC). This study aimed to determine if self-reported past-year cannabis use is associated with MVC or traffic stops among older drivers. This cross-sectional analysis used data from a multi-center study enrolling active drivers aged 65-79 years. Data regarding cannabis use, MVC, and traffic stops (i.e., being pulled over by police, whether ticketed or not) within the previous 12 months were collected through participant interviews. Log-binomial regression models examined associations of past-year cannabis use with MVC and traffic stops, adjusting for site and sociodemographic and mental health characteristics. Of 2,095 participating older drivers, 186 (8.88%) used cannabis in the past year but only 10 (<0.5%) within an hour before driving in the last 30 days; 11.41% reported an MVC and 9.45% reported a traffic stop. Past-year cannabis users had a higher prevalence of MVC (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] = 1.38; 95%CI: 0.96, 2.00; p = 0.086) and traffic stops (aPR = 1.58; 1.06, 2.35; p = 0.024). Past-year cannabis use was associated with increased traffic stops, which are correlated modestly with increased MVC in past studies and may indicate impaired driving performance. We did not find a statistically significant association of past-year cannabis use with MVC, which may indicate limited sustained effects on driving performance from periodic use among older adults, who report rarely driving immediately after use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives Balancing both driver mobility and safety is important for the well-being of older adults. However, research on the association of physical function with these 2 driving outcomes has yielded inconsistent findings. This study examined whether physical functioning of older drivers, as measured by the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), is associated with either driving space or crash involvement. Methods Using cross-sectional data of active drivers aged 65–79 years from the AAA Longitudinal Research on Aging Drivers (LongROAD) study (n = 2,990), we used multivariate log-binomial and logistic regressions to estimate the associations of the SPPB with either self-reported restricted driving space in the prior 3 months or any crashes in the past year. Interaction with gender was assessed using likelihood ratio tests. Results After adjustment, older drivers with higher SPPB scores (higher physical functioning) had lower prevalence of restricted driving space (8–10 vs. 0–7, prevalence ratio [PR] = 0.88, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.78–0.99; 11–12 vs. 0–7, PR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.61–0.99). Fair (8–10), but not good (11–12), scores were significantly associated with reduced crash involvement (8–10 vs. 0–7, odds ratio [OR] = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.60–0.84). Gender was not a significant effect modifier. Discussion and Implications This study provides evidence that higher physical functioning is associated with better driving mobility and safety and that the SPPB may be useful for identifying at-risk drivers. Further research is needed to understand physical functioning's longitudinal effects and the SPPB's role in older driver intervention programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Opioid analgesics are a major driver of the ongoing opioid epidemic in the United Sates, accounting for about two thirds of drug overdose fatalities. There are conflicting reports regarding the effects of prescription opioids on driving safety. A meta -analysis was performed to assess the epidemiologic evidence for the association between use of prescription opioids and the risk of motor vehicle crashes. Methods Studies examining the association between driver prescription opioid use and motor vehicle crash involvement or crash culpability and published in English were identified through a comprehensive search of 15 bibliographic databases. Eligible articles were fully reviewed and summarized. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Overall summary odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated through random effects models. Results Overall, 15 studies were included in the meta -analysis; of them, 10 assessed the association of prescription opioid use with the risk of crash involvement and 5 assessed the association of prescription opioid use with the risk of crash culpability. Reported crude ORs associated with prescription opioid use ranged from 1.15 to 8.19 for the risk of crash involvement and from 0.75 to 2.78 for the risk of crash culpability. Summary ORs based on pooled data were 2.29 (95% CI: 1.51, 3.48) for crash risk and 1.47 (95% CI: 1.01, 2.13) for crash culpability. Conclusions The existent epidemiologic evidence indicates that use of prescription opioids by drivers is associated with significantly increased risks of crash involvement and crash culpability. Further research is needed to understand the epidemiologic patterns of prescription opioid use in the driver population and the interaction effects between opioids and alcohol on driving safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To examine associations between falls and subsequent motor vehicle crashes ( MVCs), crash-related injuries, driving performance, and driving behavior. Design Systematic review and metaanalysis. Participants Observational studies including drivers aged 55 and older or with a mean age of 65 and older. Measurements Two authors independently extracted study and participant characteristics, exposures, and outcomes and assessed risk of bias. Pooled risk estimates for MVCs and MVC-related injuries were calculated using random-effects models. Other results were synthesized narratively. Results From 3,286 potentially eligible records, 15 studies (N = 27-17,349 subjects) met inclusion criteria. Risk of bias was low to moderate, except for cross-sectional studies (n = 3), which all had a high potential for bias. A fall history was associated with a significantly greater risk of subsequent MVC (summary risk estimate = 1.40, 95% confidence interval ( CI) = 1.20-1.63; I2 = 28%, N = 5 studies). One study found a significantly greater risk of MVC-related hospitalizations and deaths after a fall (hazard ratio = 3.12, 95% CI = 1.71-5.69). Evidence was inconclusive regarding an association between falls and driving cessation and showed no association between falls and driving performance or behavior. Conclusion Falls in older adults appear to be a risk marker for subsequent MVCs and MVC-related injury. Given the nature of the evidence, which is limited to observational studies, the identified associations may also result at least partly from confounding or bias. Further research is needed to clarify the mechanisms linking falls to crash risk and to develop effective interventions to ensure driving safety in older adults with a history of falls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The purpose of this study was to review to review the reported associations of depression and antidepressants with motor vehicle crashes. Purpose: A literature search for material published in the English language between January, 1995, and October, 2015, in bibliographic databases was combined with a search for other relevant material referenced in the retrieved articles. Methods: Retrieved articles were systematically reviewed for inclusion criteria: 19 epidemiological studies (17 case-control and 2 cohort studies) fulfilled the inclusion criteria by estimating the crash risk associated with depression and/or psychotropic medications in naturalistic settings. Results: The estimates of the odds ratio (OR) of crash involvement associated with depression ranged from 1.78 to 3.99. All classes of antidepressants were reported to have side effects with the potential to affect driving safety. The majority of studies of antidepressant effects on driving reported an elevated crash risk, and ORs ranged from 1.19 to 2.03 for all crashes, and 3.19 for fatal crashes. In meta-analysis, depression was associated with approximately 2-fold increased crash risk (summary OR = 1.90; 95% CI, 1.06 to 3.39), and antidepressants were associated with approximately 40% increased crash risk (summary OR = 1.40; 95%CI, 1.18 to 1.66). Conclusion: Based on the findings of the studies reviewed, depression, antidepressants or the combination of depression and antidepressants may pose a potential hazard to driving safety. More research is needed to understand the individual contributions of depression and the medications used to treat depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Concurrent use of marijuana and alcohol in drivers is of increasing concern but its role in crash causation has not been well understood. Methods: Using a case-control design, we assessed the individual and joint effects of marijuana and alcohol use on fatal crash risk. Cases ( n = 1944) were drivers fatally injured in motor vehicle crashes in the United States at specific times in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Controls ( n = 7719) were drivers who participated in the 2007 National Roadside Survey of Alcohol and Drug Use by Drivers. Results: Overall, cases were significantly more likely than controls to test positive for marijuana (12.2% vs. 5.9%, p < 0.0001), alcohol (57.8% vs. 7.7%, p < 0.0001) and both marijuana and alcohol (8.9% vs. 0.8%, p < 0.0001). Compared to drivers testing negative for alcohol and marijuana, the adjusted odds ratios of fatal crash involvement were 16.33 [95% confidence interval (CI): 14.23, 18.75] for those testing positive for alcohol and negative for marijuana, 1.54 (95% CI: 1.16, 2.03) for those testing positive for marijuana and negative for alcohol, and 25.09 (95% CI: 17.97, 35.03) for those testing positive for both alcohol and marijuana. Conclusions: Alcohol use and marijuana use are each associated with significantly increased risks of fatal crash involvement. When alcohol and marijuana are used together, there exists a positive synergistic effect on fatal crash risk on the additive scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drugged driving is a safety issue of increasing public concern. Using data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System for 1999–2010, we assessed trends in alcohol and other drugs detected in drivers who were killed within 1 hour of a motor vehicle crash in 6 US states (California, Hawaii, Illinois, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and West Virginia) that routinely performed toxicological testing on drivers involved in such crashes. Of the 23,591 drivers studied, 39.7% tested positive for alcohol and 24.8% for other drugs. During the study period, the prevalence of positive results for nonalcohol drugs rose from 16.6% in 1999 to 28.3% in 2010 (Z = −10.19, P < 0.0001), whereas the prevalence of positive results for alcohol remained stable. The most commonly detected nonalcohol drug was cannabinol, the prevalence of which increased from 4.2% in 1999 to 12.2% in 2010 (Z = −13.63, P < 0.0001). The increase in the prevalence of nonalcohol drugs was observed in all age groups and both sexes. These results indicate that nonalcohol drugs, particularly marijuana, are increasingly detected in fatally injured drivers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: Drugged driving is a serious safety concern, but its role in motor vehicle crashes has not been adequately studied. Using a case-control design, the authors assessed the association between drug use and fatal crash risk. Cases (n =737) were drivers who were involved in fatal motor vehicle crashes in the continental United States during specific time periods in 2007, and controls (n =7719) were participants of the 2007 National Roadside Survey of Alcohol and Drug Use by Drivers. Overall, 31.9% of the cases and 13.7% of the controls tested positive for at least one non-alcohol drug. The estimated odds ratios of fatal crash involvement associated with specific drug categories were 1.83 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.39, 2.39] for marijuana, 3.03 (95% CI: 2.00, 4.48) for narcotics, 3.57 (95% CI: 2.63, 4.76) for stimulants, and 4.83 (95% CI: 3.18, 7.21) for depressants. Drivers who tested positive for both alcohol and drugs were at substantially heightened risk relative to those using neither alcohol nor drugs (Odds Ratio=23.24; 95% CI: 17.79, 30.28). These results indicate that drug use is associated with a significantly increased risk of fatal crash involvement, particularly when used in combination with alcohol. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) has been implemented in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, USA and Israel. We conducted an exploratory summary of available data to estimate whether GDL effects varied with age. Methods We searched MEDLINE and other sources from 1991-2011. GDL evaluation studies with crashes resulting in injuries or deaths were eligible. They had to provide age-specific incidence rate ratios with CI or information for calculating these quantities. We included studies from individual states or provinces, but excluded national studies. We examined rates based on person-years, not license-years. Results Of 1397 papers, 144 were screened by abstract and 47 were reviewed. Twelve studies from 11 US states and one Canadian province were selected for meta-analysis for age 16, eight were selected for age 17, and four for age 18. Adjusted rate ratios were pooled using random effects models. The pooled adjusted rate ratios for the association of GDL presence with crash rates was 0.78 (95% CI 0.72 to 0.84) for age 16 years, 0.94 (95% CI 0.93 to 0.96) for 17 and 1.00 (95% CI 0.95 to 1.04) for 18. The difference between these three rate ratios was statistically significant: p<0.001. Conclusions GDL policies were associated with a 22% reduction in crash rates among 16-year-old drivers, but only a 6% reduction for 17-year-old drivers. GDL showed no association with crashes among 18-year-old drivers. Because we had few studies to summarise, particularly for older adolescents, our findings should be considered exploratory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim This study aims to examine the prevalence of alcohol and/or other drugs ( AOD) in a large sample of fatally injured drivers. Design Using data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System for 2005-09, the authors examined the prevalence of AOD detected in fatally injured drivers in the United States. Setting Fatal motor vehicle crashes occurring on public roads. Participants Drivers who died within 1 hour of the crash in 14 states that performed toxicological testing on more than 80% of these drivers. Measurements The prevalence of AOD and multivariable-adjusted prevalence ratios (a PR). Findings Of the 20 150 fatally injured drivers studied, 57.3% tested positive for AOD, including 19.9% being positive for two or more substances. Alcohol was the most commonly detected substance, present in 40.2% of the fatally injured drivers, followed by cannabinols (10.5%), stimulants (9.0%), narcotics (5.7%) and depressants (4.0%). Multivariable analysis revealed that AOD was significantly more prevalent among drivers who died in single-vehicle crashes [a PR 1.69, 95% confidence interval ( CI): 1.62-1.76] or night-time crashes (a PR 1.43, 95% CI: 1.39-1.47), or who had a driving-while-intoxicated conviction within the past 3 years (a PR 1.41, 95% CI: 1.35-1.47), and less prevalent among drivers who were 65 years or older (a PR 0.45, 95% CI: 0.42-0.49), Asian (a PR 0.47, 95% CI 0.41-0.53) or female (a PR 0.88, 95% CI: 0.85-0.91) or who were operating a motor carrier (a PR 0.41, 95% CI 0.34-0.48). Conclusions More than half of fatally injured drivers in the United States had been using AOD and approximately 20% had been using polydrugs. The prevalence of AOD use varies significantly with driver and crash characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To determine the prevalence of alcohol involvement and impairment in fatal crashes in the USA involving Mexican and Canadian drivers. Methods Drivers in fatal crashes in the USA were identified during 1998 to 2008 from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, and the prevalence of alcohol involvement and impairment (defined as blood alcohol concentrations ≥0.01 g/dl and ≥0.08 g/dl, respectively) was compared among drivers licensed in Mexico (n=687), Canada (n=598), and the USA (n=561 908). Results The prevalence of alcohol involvement was 27% for US drivers, 27% for Mexican drivers, and 11% for Canadian drivers. Alcohol impairment was found in 23% of US drivers, 23% of Mexican drivers, and 8% of Canadian drivers. With adjustment for driver demographic characteristics and survival status and for crash circumstances, the prevalence of alcohol involvement was significantly lower for Canadian drivers (adjusted prevalence ratio (PR) 0.63, 95% CI 0.49 to 0.80) than for US drivers, and was similar between Mexican and US drivers (adjusted PR 0.91, 95% CI 0.81 to 1.02). Conclusions Alcohol involvement in fatal motor vehicle crashes in the USA is similarly prevalent in US and Mexican drivers, but is substantially less common in Canadian drivers. INSETS: Salesperson tripped by own dog to receive workers¿ compensation;School held liable for student¿s injured eye. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Marijuana and alcohol each play a significant role in fatal crash initiation. We decomposed the total effect of marijuana use in the presence or absence of alcohol on fatal crash initiation into direct and indirect effects. Methods: Pair-matched data on 5856 culpable drivers (initiators) and 5856 nonculpable drivers (noninitiators) involved in the same fatal 2-vehicle crashes recorded in the Fatality Analysis Reporting System between 2011 and 2016 were analyzed using the conditional logistic regression model and the unified mediation and interaction analysis framework. Results: Crash initiators were more likely than noninitiators to test positive for marijuana (16.1% vs. 9.2%, P < 0.001), alcohol (28.6% vs. 9.7%, P < 0.001) and both substances (6.3% vs. 1.6%, P <.0001). Adjusted odds ratios of fatal 2-vehicle crash initiation revealed a positive interaction on the additive scale between marijuana and alcohol. Of the total effect of marijuana use on fatal 2-vehicle crash initiation, 68.8% was attributable to the direct effect (51.5% to controlled direct effect and 17.3% to reference interaction effect with alcohol) and 31.2% to the indirect effect (7.8% to mediated interaction effect and 23.4% to pure indirect effect through alcohol). Conclusion: Our results indicate that the increased odds of fatal 2-vehicle crash initiation associated with marijuana use is due mainly to the direct effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prevalence of prescription opioid use among drivers has increased markedly in the past two decades. The purpose of this study is to assess the associations of prescription opioid use and alcohol use with the risk of fatal crash involvement in US drivers.Methods: We performed a population-based case-control study using toxicological testing data from two national data systems. Cases (n = 3606) were drivers involved in fatal motor vehicle crashes selected from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System and controls (n = 15,600) were drivers participating in the 2007 and 2013 National Roadside Surveys of Alcohol and Drug Use by Drivers. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) of fatal crash involvement associated with prescription opioid use with and without the presence of alcohol.Results: Overall, cases were significantly more likely than controls to test positive for prescription opioids (5.0% vs. 3.7%, p < 0.001), alcohol (56.2% vs. 7.1%, p < 0.0001), and both substances (2.2% vs. 0.2%, p < 0.001). Relative to drivers testing negative for prescription opioids and alcohol, the adjusted ORs of fatal crash involvement were 1.72 (95% CI: 1.37, 2.17) for those testing positive for prescription opioids and negative for alcohol, 17.92 (95% CI: 16.19, 19.84) for those testing positive for alcohol and negative for prescription opioids, and 21.89 (95% CI: 14.38, 33.32) for those testing positive for both substances. The interaction effect on fatal crash risk of prescription opioid use and alcohol use was not statistically significant on either additive or multiplicative scale.Conclusions: Prescription opioid use is associated with a significantly increased risk of fatal crash involvement independently of alcohol use. Concurrent use of prescription opioids and alcohol is associated with a 21-fold increased risk of fatal crash involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess individual and joint effects of alcohol and marijuana on the initiation of fatal two-vehicle crashes.Methods: Data on 14,742 culpable drivers (initiators) and 14,742 nonculpable drivers (noninitiators) involved in the same fatal two-vehicle crashes between 1993 and 2014 were obtained from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System. Multivariable conditional logistic regression models were used to assess the association of driver use of alcohol, marijuana, or both with fatal crash initiation with adjustment for demographic variables.Results: Initiators were significantly more likely than non-initiators to test positive for alcohol (28.3% vs. 9.6%, P < .0001), marijuana (10.4% vs. 6.0%, P < .0001), and both substances (4.4% vs. 1.1%, P < .0001). Relative to drivers testing negative for both alcohol and marijuana, the adjusted odds ratios of fatal crash initiation were 5.37 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.88 to 5.92) for those testing positive for alcohol and negative for marijuana, 1.62 (95% CI: 1.43 to 1.84) for those testing positive for marijuana and negative for alcohol, and 6.39 (95% CI: 5.19 to 7.88) for those testing positive for both alcohol and marijuana.Conclusions: Alcohol and marijuana each play a significant role in fatal crash initiation. When used in combination, alcohol and marijuana appear to have a positive interaction effect on the risk of fatal crash initiation on the additive scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Older drivers with recent falls had more hard braking events in one-year follow-up. • Those with high fear of falling drove less and drove nearer home during follow-up. • Health, function, medications and demographics largely explained the associations. • Falls and fear of falling may serve as markers for crash risk and reduced mobility. Objective: Falls in older adults are associated with increased motor vehicle crash risk, possibly mediated by driving behavior. We examined the relationship of falls and fear of falling (FOF) with subsequent objectively measured driving habits. Methods: This multi-site, prospective cohort study enrolled 2990 active drivers aged 65–79 (53% female). At enrollment, we assessed falls in the past year and FOF (Short Falls Efficacy Scale-International). Driving outcomes included exposure, avoidance of difficult conditions, and unsafe driving during one-year follow-up, using in-vehicle Global Positioning System devices. Results: Past-year falls were associated with more hard braking events (HBE). High FOF was associated with driving fewer days, miles, and trips, driving nearer home and more HBE. Differences were attenuated and not significant after accounting for health, function, medications and sociodemographics. Discussion: Differences in objectively measured driving habits according to past-year fall history and FOF were largely accounted for by differences in health and medications. Rather than directly affecting driving, falls and FOF may serve as markers for crash risk and reduced community mobility due to age-related changes and poor health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Safe Routes to School (SRTS) was a federally funded transportation program for facilitating physically active commuting to and from school in children through improvements of the built environment. There is evidence that SRTS programs increase walking and bicycling in school-age children, but their impact on pedestrian and bicyclist safety has not been adequately examined. We investigate the impact and effects of the SRTS program on school-age pedestrian and bicyclist injuries in a nationwide sample in the United States.Methods: Data were crash records for school-age children (5-19 years) and adults (30-64 years), in 18 U.S. states for a 16-year period (1995-2010). Multilevel negative binomial models were used to examine the association between SRTS intervention and the risk of pedestrian and bicyclist injury in children aged 5-19 years.Results: SRTS was associated with an approximately 23% reduction (incidence rate ratio = 0.77, 95% confidence interval = 0.65-0.92) in pedestrian/bicyclist injury risk and a 20% reduction in pedestrian/bicyclist fatality risk (incidence rate ratio = 0.80, 95% confidence interval = 0.68-0.94) in school-age children compared to adults aged 30-64 years.Conclusions: Implementation of the SRTS program appears to have contributed to improving traffic safety for school-age children in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: Objective: To examine the validity of police-reported alcohol data for drivers involved in fatal motor carrier crashes. Material and Methods: We determined the availability of blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and police-reported alcohol data on 157,702 drivers involved in fatal motor carrier crashes between 1982 – 2005 using Fatality Analysis and Reporting System (FARS) data. Drivers were categorized as motor carrier drivers if they operated a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of greater than 26,000 pounds. Otherwise, they were classified as non motor carrier drivers. The sensitivity and specificity of police-reported alcohol involvement were estimated for both driver types. Results: Of the 157,702 drivers, 18% had no alcohol information, 15% had BAC results, 42% had police-reported alcohol data, and 25% had both. Alcohol information varied significantly by driver, crash, and vehicle characteristics. For example, motor carrier drivers were significantly more likely (51%) to have BAC testing results compared to non motor carrier drivers (31%) (p<0.001). The sensitivity of police-reported alcohol involvement for a BAC level≥0.08 was 83% (95% CI 79%, 86%) for motor carrier drivers and 90% (95% CI 89%, 90%) for non motor carrier drivers. The specificity rates were 96% (95% CI 95%, 96%) and 91% (95% CI 90%, 91%), respectively. Conclusions: The sensitivity and specificity of police-reported alcohol involvement are reasonably high for drivers involved in fatal motor carrier crashes. Further research is needed to determine the extent to which the accuracy of police-reported alcohol involvement may be overestimated because of verification bias. Impact on the Industry: Based on the results of this study, the federal government should continue to work with states to strengthen their strategies to increase chemical testing of all drivers involved in fatal crashes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]