Citation

da Silva DW, de Andrade SM, Soares DF, Mathias TA, Matsuo T, de Souza RK. ScientificWorldJournal 2012; 2012(online): 605480.

Affiliation

Postgraduate Program on Public Health, Department of Physiotherapy, State University of Londrina, 86038-350 Londrina, PR, Brazil.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, ScientificWorld, Ltd.)

DOI

10.1100/2012/605480

PMID

22629158

Abstract

The objective of the study was to identify factors associated with reports of road accidents, among motorcycle couriers in two medium-sized municipalities in southern Brazil. A self-administered questionnaire was answered by motorcycle couriers that had worked for at least 12 months in this profession. The outcomes analyzed were reports on accidents and serious accidents over the 12 months prior to the survey. Bivariate and multivariate analyses by means of logistic regression were carried out to investigate factors that were independently associated with the outcomes. Seven hundred and fifty motorcycle couriers, of mean age 29.5 years (standard deviation = 8.1 ), were included in the study. Young age (18 to 24 years compared to ≥25 years, odds ratio [OR] = 1.77) speeding (OR = 1.48), and use of cell phones while driving (OR = 1.43) were factors independently associated with reports of accidents. For serious accidents, there was an association with alternation of work shifts (OR = 1.91) and speeding (OR = 1.67). The characteristics associated with accidents-personal (young age), behavioral (use of cell phones while driving and speeding), and professional (speeding and alternation of work shifts)-reveal the need to adopt wide-ranging strategies to reduce these accidents, including better work conditions for these motorcyclists.

Language: en