title: Seat-belt use still low in Kuwait: self-reported driving behaviours among adult drivers.
abstract: Kuwait mandated seat-belt use by drivers in 1976 and by front seat passengers in 1994. The study objectives were to identify and estimate current factors associated with seat-belt use and levels of potentially unsafe driving behaviours in Kuwait. In 2010, 741 adults were surveyed regarding driving habits and history. Only 41.6% of drivers reported always using a seat belt. Front seat passenger belt use was more common (30.5%) than rear seat belt use (6.5%). Distracted driving behaviours were common, including mobile phone use ('always' or 'almost always': 51.1%) and texting/SMS (32.4%). Logistic regression indicated that drivers who were young (18-19 years), male, Kuwaiti nationals or non-Kuwaiti Arabs, drove over the speed limit, had traffic violation tickets or >1 car crashes in the last year, were less likely to use seat belts. Targeted initiatives to increase public awareness and to enforce car-safety legislation, including use of seat belts, are necessary to decrease the health burden of car crashes in Kuwait.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Community and Family Medicine , Duke University , Durham , NC 27710 , USA.
authors.forename: Sudha R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Raman
authors.forename: C Andrea
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Ottensmeyer
authors.forename: Michel D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Landry
authors.forename: Jarrah
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alfadhli
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Procter
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jacob
authors.forename: Elham
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hamdan
authors.forename: Manal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bouhaimed
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007730:Kuwait / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012622:Seat Belts / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Kuwait; distracted driving; road traffic crashes; seat belt; self-reported data