A Case-Control Study

A case-control study was performed in France to analyze the relationship between distracted driving and at-fault collisions.1 Exposures were classified as distractions, with subcategories including cell phone use, listening to music or the radio, interacting with passengers, in-vehicle distraction events (picking up a dropped object), outside distraction events, interacting with a navigation system, and driver activities associated with an increased likelihood of crashing (eating, smoking, drug influence, etc.). Cases were drivers responsible for the collision (at-fault), and controls were drivers not responsible for the collision. Participants were selected and interviewed from the emergency department of the Bordeaux University Hospital between April 2010 and August 2011. Eligible patients for inclusion into the study had to have been admitted to the hospital within 72 hours, and they must have had a Glasgow Coma Score of 15, meaning that they could respond to the interviewer. Out of 1,436 patients assessed for inclusion into the study, 1,068 …show more content…
The critical value was set at 0.05. There were 453 at-fault and 502 not at-fault participants.1 Bivariate analyses showed that drivers who have slept less than six hours in the past 24 hours, used psychotropic medication, and/or had consumed alcohol have a higher probability of being at-fault for a crash occurring at night (p = <0.0001). Outside and in-vehicle events, as well as activities associated with an increased likelihood of crashing, were strongly correlated with increased chances of being at-fault in a crash (p-value = 0.021, 0.0007, and 0.0001, respectively).1 These three factors accounted for 8% of all vehicle collisions. Listening to music or the radio, cell phone use, interacting with passengers, and navigation use did not result in a significant increase in at-fault collisions.