Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30533029›Full record

Observational studyPloS one2018

Trends in the use of seat belts and mobile phones and their seasonal variations in Florence (2005-2015).

Chiara Lorini, Jacopo Bianchi, Gino Sartor, Maria Grazia Santini, Anna Mersi, Saverio Caini, Guglielmo Bonaccorsi

Abstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in PloS one, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Chiara LoriniDepartment of Health Science, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Jacopo BianchiSchool of Specialization in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Gino SartorSchool of Specialization in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-0056-9048
Maria Grazia SantiniDepartment of Prevention, Central Tuscany Local Health Authority, Florence, Italy.
Anna MersiDepartment of Prevention, Central Tuscany Local Health Authority, Florence, Italy.
Saverio CainiDepartment of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Guglielmo BonaccorsiDepartment of Health Science, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-5171-4308

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionAbout 1.25 million people worldwide die every year because of road accidents. Risk is higher when drivers use mobile phones, whereas seat belts help to prevent crash-related injury. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence, associated factors, and temporal trend of the use of seat belts and mobile phones among drivers and passengers in Florence, Italy (2005-2015).

methodsUse of seat belts and mobile phones use was monitored via direct observation in four areas in the province of Florence. We fitted Poisson regression models with robust variance to investigate the factors associated with the use of seat belts and mobile phones use by the drivers and to explore long-term trends and seasonal patterns in the two time-series.

resultsWe observed a total of an overall 134,775 vehicles: seat belts were worn by 71.8% of drivers and front-seat passengers and 27.6% of back-seat passengers, while mobile phones were being used by 4.8% of drivers. Drivers were more likely to wear seat belt when transporting passengers (≥2 vs none: prevalence ratio [PR] 1.21, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 1.14-1.29) and while driving in the afternoon (PR 1.04, 95% CI 1.03-1.05), and less likely when the front-seat passenger was not wearing seat belts (PR 0.33, 95% CI 0.32-0.34). After an initial increase, seat belts use by the driver decreased over time (-0.5% each year during 2010-2015), with significant peaks and troughs in July and January, respectively. Mobile phone use by the driver was inversely associated with wearing seat belts (PR 0.67, 95% CI 0.64-0.70) and carrying passengers (≥2 vs. none PR 0.20, 95% CI 0.07-0.52). The proportion of drivers using mobile phones did not vary over time nor showed any clear seasonality.

conclusionsDrivers' risky behaviours (not wearing a seat belt and using a mobile phone) are associated, showing a global misperception of risk among a subset of drivers. The number of passengers and their behaviour is also associated with the driver's attitude. The effectiveness of primary enforcement laws has declined in Italy in recent years; therefore, other strategies should be devised and implemented.

Indexed as

SeasonsAccidents, TrafficAttitudeAutomobile DrivingCell PhoneCell Phone UseHumansItalyLaw EnforcementPrevalenceSeat Belts

Identifiers

PMID30533029
PMCPMC6289414

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.