Alcohol and risky behavior in traffic among motorcyclists involved in accidents in a city in northeastern Brazil

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to analyze the association between consumption of alcoholic drinks and adoption of other risky forms of behavior in traffic among motorcyclists involved in accidents.

Methods: This was an exploratory cross-sectional study among injured motorcyclists who were hospitalized in the traumatology department of the “Governador Paulo Guerra” Restoration Hospital (Hospital da Restauração Governador Paulo Guerra), Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil. A questionnaire containing items relating to sociodemographic, occupational, and behavioral factors and aspects of the accident and road conditions was applied. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed and odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. The significance level was set at 5%.

Results: One hundred seventy individuals were investigated. Consumption of alcohol prior to the accident was reported by 32.9% of motorcyclists. This behavior was positively associated with the following risky forms of behavior in traffic: speeding (OR = 4.08; 95% CI, 1.15–9.48); failure to use a helmet (OR = 2.41; 95% CI, 1.15–5.02); and not having a motorcycle driver’s license (OR = 2.68; 95% CI, 1.31–5.45).

Conclusion: This study showed that, in the population studied, riding a motorcycle under the effects of alcoholic drinks was associated with other risky forms of behavior in traffic: speeding, not using a helmet, and not having a motorcycle driver’s license. We believe that the interaction between these behaviors may lead to greater occurrence and greater severity of accidents.

Keywords:

• Alcoholic beverages
• risk behavior
• accidents
• traffic
• motorcycles
• epidemiology