BMJ, doi: 10.1136/bmj.38848.627731.2F, (Published 23 June 2006)

RESEARCH

Unsafe driving behaviour and four wheel drive vehicles: observational study

Lesley Walker ¹, Jonathan Williams ¹, Konrad Jamrozik ^2*

¹ Department of Primary Care and Social Medicine, Imperial College, London
² School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Herston, Qld 4006, Australia

^* Correspondence to: k.jamrozik{at}sph.uq.edu.au.

Objective To assess the level of compliance with the new law in the United Kingdom mandating penalties for using a hand held mobile phone while driving, to compare compliance with this law with the one on the use of seat belts, and to compare compliance with these laws between drivers of four wheel drive vehicles and drivers of normal cars.

Design Observational study with two phases--one within the "grace" period, the other starting one week after penalties were imposed on drivers using such telephones.

Setting Three busy sites in London.

Participants Drivers of 38 182 normal cars and 2944 four wheel drive vehicles.

Main outcome measures Proportions of drivers seen to be using hand held mobile phones and not using seat belts.

Results Drivers of four wheel drive vehicles were more likely than drivers of other cars to be seen using hand held mobile phones (8.2% v 2.0%) and not complying with the law on seat belts (19.5% v 15.0%). Levels of non-compliance with both laws were slightly higher in the penalty phase of observation, and breaking one law was associated with increased likelihood of breaking the other.

Conclusions The level of non-compliance with the law on the use of hand held mobile phones by drivers in London is high, as is non-compliance with the law on seat belts. Drivers of four wheel drive vehicles were four times more likely than drivers of other cars to be seen using hand held mobile phones and slightly more likely not to comply with the law on seat belts.

---

(Accepted 3 May 2006)
CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

Related Articles

Death on the roads: Article lacks logic

John Adams
BMJ 2006 333: 199. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Death on the roads: No strong support for risk compensation

Graeme D Ruxton
BMJ 2006 333: 199. [Extract] [Full Text]

Death on the roads: Is unsafe behaviour due to the choice or the chooser?

Peter L Jacobsen
BMJ 2006 333: 199. [Extract] [Full Text]

Death on the roads: Perceived threat is important in road safety

Tony H Reinhardt-Rutland
BMJ 2006 333: 199. [Extract] [Full Text]

Death on the roads: Should we advocate daytime running lights?

Richard G Henderson
BMJ 2006 333: 199-200. [Extract] [Full Text]

Four wheel drive vehicles, class war, and the BMJ

Trevor Jackson
BMJ 2006 333: 206. [Extract] [Full Text]

Drivers of four wheel drive vehicles show risky driving behaviours
BMJ 2006 333: 0. [Full Text]

Death and injury on roads

Shanthi Ameratunga, Rod Jackson, and Robyn Norton
BMJ 2006 333: 53-54. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Adams, J. (2006). Death on the roads: Article lacks logic. BMJ 333: 199-199 [Full text]  
• Jackson, T. (2006). Four wheel drive vehicles, class war, and the BMJ. BMJ 333: 206-206 [Full text]  
• Ruxton, G. D (2006). Death on the roads: No strong support for risk compensation. BMJ 333: 199-199 [Full text]  
• Jacobsen, P. L (2006). Death on the roads: Is unsafe behaviour due to the choice or the chooser?. BMJ 333: 199-199 [Full text]  
• Reinhardt-Rutland, T. H (2006). Death on the roads: Perceived threat is important in road safety. BMJ 333: 199-199 [Full text]  
• Henderson, R. G (2006). Death on the roads: Should we advocate daytime running lights?. BMJ 333: 199-200 [Full text]  
• Ameratunga, S., Jackson, R., Norton, R. (2006). Death and injury on roads. BMJ 333: 53-54 [Full text]  

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Larger study required?

Niel J.P. Fagan
bmj.com, 24 Jun 2006 [Full text]

Non-compliance in 4WD Vehicles

Martin J Griffies
bmj.com, 24 Jun 2006 [Full text]

4wd driver behaviour: false security; handsfree phoning as dangerous as hand held

Cees Wildervanck
bmj.com, 24 Jun 2006 [Full text]

A bad decision from an absurd person

Phillip J. Colquitt
bmj.com, 25 Jun 2006 [Full text]

A logical hole

John Adams
bmj.com, 26 Jun 2006 [Full text]

Observational studies depend on observational quality

Andrew J Ashworth
bmj.com, 28 Jun 2006 [Full text]

Unsafe Driving behaviour : personality factors

Tim O Parrott
bmj.com, 1 Jul 2006 [Full text]

Risk taking behaviors of SUV drivers

Ediriweera Desapriya, et al.
bmj.com, 1 Jul 2006 [Full text]

Potential study flaws fuelling media hype

Keith Greenfield
bmj.com, 4 Jul 2006 [Full text]

Is their unsafe behaviour due to the choice or the chooser?

Peter L. Jacobsen
bmj.com, 4 Jul 2006 [Full text]

Other road-users' perceptions of four-wheel drive vehicles (SUVs) may exacerbate SUV drivers' risky behaviours

Tony H Reinhardt-Rutland
bmj.com, 4 Jul 2006 [Full text]

Occupant protection capabilities of SUVs

Ediriweera Desapriya, et al.
bmj.com, 5 Jul 2006 [Full text]

Gender/recounting possible flaws?

Alastair J Macdonald
bmj.com, 7 Jul 2006 [Full text]

No strong support for risk compensation

Graeme D Ruxton
bmj.com, 10 Jul 2006 [Full text]

Some poor conclusions from interesting data

Jon G Wood
bmj.com, 14 Jul 2006 [Full text]

Unsafe driving behaviour

Roger D Mount
bmj.com, 29 Jul 2006 [Full text]