[Traffic accidentability and risky driving behavior in young people in New Caledonia. Results of study Situation Sociale et Comportements de Santé des Jeunes en Nouvelle-Calédonie].
BACKGROUND
New Caledonia has one of the highest global rates of death from road accidents: 240 deaths per million inhabitants in 2011 with a majority of young people. However, research on driving behaviors has remained rare.


METHODS
A cross-sectional survey based on face-to-face questionnaire with 1400 male and female youth aged 16 to 25 was conducted in 2007. It was used to measure the frequency of accidents and to compute a score of driving behaviors and their associations with socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyles as well as other health behaviors. RESULTS -


CONCLUSIONS
A total of 10.6% of boys and 6.5% of girls reported a car accident in the previous twelve months period. Among male participants risky driving behavior was associated with having a degree (ORa=2, 95% CI [1.1-3.8]), sport practices (ORa=3.7, 95% CI [1.9-7.05]), involvement in a fight in the last twelve months (ORa=2.2, 95% CI [1.4-3.4]) and precocity of cannabis use (ORa=1.8, 95% CI [1.2-2.8]). Youth living in couple and those with children presented with higher risk-taking scores. Among female participants, young age at cannabis initiation (ORa=3.1, 95% CI [1.5-6.4]) and at sexual debut (ORa=2.4, 95% CI [1.1-5.1]) were associated with driving risk-taking. Finally, younger age at first alcohol intoxication was associated with risky behavior on the road in both sexes. These results highlighted the multidimensional nature of risk-taking behaviors on the road and showed that they are part of, for boys and girls, a larger pattern of risky behaviors. Such results suggest to include behaviors on the road in a comprehensive approach of prevention.
Service de médecine légale, hôpital Jean-Verdier, avenue du 14-Juillet, 93140 Bondy, France. Electronic address: catherine.dang@aphp.fr.
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Dang
Laboratoire Printemps, université de Versailles-Saint-Quentin, 78035 Versailles-Saint-Quentin, France; Inserm CESP U1018, hôpital Paul-Brousse, 94800 Villejuif, France.
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Hamelin
Inserm CESP U1018, hôpital Paul-Brousse, 94800 Villejuif, France; CSU-Cresppa, CNRS-université Paris 8, 75849 Paris, France.
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Salomon
Inserm CESP U1018, hôpital Paul-Brousse, 94800 Villejuif, France.
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Lert
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009510:New Caledonia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012923:Social Class; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
Accidentalité; Comportements à risque; Jeunes; New Caledonia; Nouvelle-Calédonie; Risk-taking behavior; Sécurité routière; Traffic accidents; Young