title: Risk-taking behaviour of Cape Peninsula high-school students. Part VI. Road-related behaviour.
abstract: The prevalence of a wide range of risk-taking behaviour among high-school students in the Cape Peninsula, South Africa, was investigated. In this article, the findings for road-related behaviour are presented. Cluster sampling techniques produced a sample of 7,340 students from 16 schools in the three major education departments. A self-administered questionnaire was completed in a normal school period. Estimates for each education department were weighted to produce an overall estimate. During the previous year, 8.5% of the students had been involved in a motor vehicle accident, and 7.4% had been injured in a pedestrian accident. Of those who had driven a vehicle, 63.2% reported driving without a licence; 16.1% drove an overcrowded vehicle; and 8% reported driving under the influence of alcohol or cannabis. Of those who had been on a motorcycle, 47.9% reported riding without a helmet. Despite the availability of seat belts, 37.3% had failed to wear one on the last occasion they were in the front seat of a vehicle. Variations according to gender, standard, and home language(s) were identified. The prevalence of risk behaviour was higher in males, who also showed a more pronounced increase in such behaviour with age. The need for accident prevention programmes remains urgent.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Epidemiological Research in Southern Africa, Parowvallei, CP.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Flisher
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Ziervogel
authors.forename: D O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Chalton
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Leger
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Robertson
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D002188:Cannabis; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012622:Seat Belts / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires