[Drug use and involvement in risky driving styles in a sample of university students. The uniHcos project].
OBJECTIVE
Drug and alcohol use are known to increase the risk of traffic accidents, especially among youth. However, the association between habitual drug use and the adoption of risky driving behavior is not well known. The aim of this study was to identify and quantify the association between habitual drug use and involvement in risky driving practices overall and by gender among university students.


METHODS
A cross sectional study was conducted. The study population was composed of 559 car drivers younger than 31 years who completed an online questionnaire during the 2011-2012 academic year. Among other factors, the questionnaire assessed the following items: habitual drug consumption (20 or more days) during the last year and involvement in other risky driving practices during the last month.


RESULTS
A total of 27.7% of students reported they had used drugs regularly during the last year. Drug use was associated with a higher frequency of involvement in risky driving practices. In men, the factors most strongly associated with drug consumption were speeding, driving under influence of alcohol, and feeling drowsy while driving. In women, drug consumption was mainly associated with smoking while driving, drunk driving, and driving without rest.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of our study support the hypothesis that habitual drug use is associated with an increased frequency of risky driving behavior.
Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Granada, Granada, España; CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), España. Electronic address: eladiojimenez@ugr.es.
Eladio
E
Jiménez-Mejías
Hospital Universitario Médico-Quirúrgico de Jaén, Servicio Andaluz de Salud, Consejería de Salud, Junta de Andalucía, Jaén, España.
Miguel Ángel
MÁ
Medina-García
Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Granada, Granada, España; CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), España.
Virginia
V
Martínez-Ruiz
CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), España; Centro Nacional de Epidemiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid.
José
J
Pulido-Manzanero
CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), España; Escuela Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud, Área de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Universidad de León, León, España.
Tania
T
Fernández-Villa
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
Accident; Accidente; Automobile driving; Conductores de coche; Drug-related side effects and adverse reactions; Efectos secundarios y adversos relacionados con el consumo de drogas; Jóvenes; Traffic; Tráfico; Young adult