Sample records for jailing drunk drivers

  1. Drunk Driver Testing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1984-01-01

    Systems Technology, Inc. developed a technique to study/measure behavioral changes brought on by long term isolation is now being used in a system for determining whether a driver is too drunk to drive. Device is intended to discourage intoxicated drivers from taking to the road by advising them they are in no condition to operate a vehicle. System is being tested experimentally in California.

  2. Profiling drunk driving recidivists in Denmark.

    PubMed

    Møller, Mette; Haustein, Sonja; Prato, Carlo Giacomo

    2015-10-01

    Drunk drivers are a menace to themselves and to other road users, as drunk driving significantly increases the risk of involvement in road accidents and the probability of severe or fatal injuries. Although injuries and fatalities related to road accidents have decreased in recent decades, the prevalence of drunk driving among drivers killed in road accidents has remained stable, at around 25% or more during the past 10 years. Understanding drunk driving, and in particular, recidivism, is essential for designing effective countermeasures, and accordingly, the present study aims at identifying the differences between non-drunk drivers, drunk driving non-recidivists and drunk driving recidivists with respect to their demographic and socio-economic characteristics, road accident involvement and other traffic and non-traffic-related law violations. This study is based on register-data from Statistics Denmark and includes information from 2008 to 2012 for the entire population, aged 18 or older, of Denmark. The results from univariate and multivariate statistical analyses reveal a five year prevalence of 17% for drunk driving recidivism, and a significant relation between recidivism and the drunk drivers' gender, age, income, education, receipt of an early retirement pension, household type, and residential area. Moreover, recidivists are found to have a higher involvement in alcohol-related road accidents, as well as other traffic and, in particular, non-traffic-related offences. These findings indicate that drunk driving recidivism is more likely to occur among persons who are in situations of socio-economic disadvantage and marginalisation. Thus, to increase their effectiveness, preventive measures aiming to reduce drunk driving should also address issues related to the general life situations of the drunk driving recidivists that contribute to an increased risk of drunk driving recidivism. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Alcohol drinking, mean corpuscular volume of erythrocytes, and alcohol metabolic genotypes in drunk drivers.

    PubMed

    Pavanello, Sofia; Snenghi, Rossella; Nalesso, Alessandro; Sartore, Daniela; Ferrara, Santo Davide; Montisci, Massimo

    2012-02-01

    Regular and irregular abuse of alcohol are global health priorities associated with diseases at multiple sites, including cancer. Mechanisms of diseases induced by alcohol are closely related to its metabolism. Among conventional markers of alcohol abuse, the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) of erythrocytes is prognostic of alcohol-related cancer and its predictivity increases when combined with functional polymorphisms of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH1B [rs1229984] and ADH1C [rs698]) and the mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2 [rs671]). Whether these genetic variants can influence abuse in alcohol drinking and MCV has never been examined in drunk-driving traffic offenders. We examined 149 drunk drivers, diagnosed as alcohol abusers according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth edition Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) and enrolled in a probation program, and 257 social drinkers (controls), all Caucasian males. Alcohol intake was assessed according to self-reported drink-units/d and MCV unadjusted and adjusted for age, smoking, and body mass index. Multivariable models were used to compute MCV adjusted means. Genotype analyses were performed by PCR on DNA from blood. The adjusted MCV mean was higher in drunk-driving abusers than in controls (92 vs. 91fL; P<.0001) and increased with the number of drink-units/d in both abusers and controls (P-trend=.0316 and .0089) already at intermediate quantities (0-1 vs. 2-4 drink-units/d: P=.054 and .024). Carriers of the common ADH1B*1/*1 (rs1229984) genotype were more likely to be drunk-driving abusers (P=.008), reported higher drink-units/d (P=.0126), and had larger MCV (P=.035). The rs698 ADH1C and rs671 ALDH2 polymorphisms were not associated with MCV. ADH1B*1/*1 polymorphism is significantly associated with being a drunk-driving abuser, higher alcohol drinking, and MCV enlargement. This suggests that drunk drivers with augmented MCV modulated by the alcohol metabolic ADH1B*1/*1 genotype may be at

  4. Gasoline prices and their relationship to drunk-driving crashes.

    PubMed

    Chi, Guangqing; Zhou, Xuan; McClure, Timothy E; Gilbert, Paul A; Cosby, Arthur G; Zhang, Li; Robertson, Angela A; Levinson, David

    2011-01-01

    This study investigates the relationship between changing gasoline prices and drunk-driving crashes. Specifically, we examine the effects of gasoline prices on drunk-driving crashes in Mississippi by several crash types and demographic groups at the monthly level from 2004 to 2008, a period experiencing great fluctuation in gasoline prices. An exploratory visualization by graphs shows that higher gasoline prices are generally associated with fewer drunk-driving crashes. Higher gasoline prices depress drunk-driving crashes among young and adult drivers, among male and female drivers, and among white and black drivers. Results from negative binomial regression models show that when gas prices are higher, there are fewer drunk-driving crashes, particularly among property-damage-only crashes. When alcohol consumption levels are higher, there are more drunk-driving crashes, particularly fatal and injury crashes. The effects of gasoline prices and alcohol consumption are stronger on drunk-driving crashes than on all crashes. The findings do not vary much across different demographic groups. Overall, gasoline prices have greater effects on less severe crashes and alcohol consumption has greater effects on more severe crashes. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Usefulness of indirect alcohol biomarkers for predicting recidivism of drunk-driving among previously convicted drunk-driving offenders: results from the recidivism of alcohol-impaired driving (ROAD) study.

    PubMed

    Maenhout, Thomas M; Poll, Anneleen; Vermassen, Tijl; De Buyzere, Marc L; Delanghe, Joris R

    2014-01-01

    In several European countries, drivers under the influence (DUI), suspected of chronic alcohol abuse are referred for medical and psychological examination. This study (the ROAD study, or Recidivism Of Alcohol-impaired Driving) investigated the usefulness of indirect alcohol biomarkers for predicting drunk-driving recidivism in previously convicted drunk-driving offenders. The ROAD study is a prospective study (2009-13) that was performed on 517 randomly selected drivers in Belgium. They were convicted for drunk-driving for which their licence was confiscated. The initial post-arrest blood samples were collected and analysed for percentage carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (%CDT), transaminsase activities [alanine amino transferase (ALT), aspartate amino transferase (AST)], gamma-glutamyltransferase (γGT) and red cell mean corpuscular volume (MCV). The observation time for each driver was 3 years and dynamic. A logistic regression analysis revealed that ln(%CDT) (P < 0.001), ln(γGT) (P < 0.01) and ln(ALT) (P < 0.05) were the best biochemical predictors of recidivism of drunk-driving. The ROAD index (which includes ln(%CDT), ln(γGT), -ln(ALT) and the sex of the driver) was calculated and had a significantly higher area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (0.71) than the individual biomarkers for drunk-driving recidivism. Drivers with a high risk of recidivating (ROAD index ≥ 25%; third tertile) could be distinguished from drivers with an intermediate risk (16% ≤ ROAD index < 25%; second tertile; P < 0.001) and a low recidivism risk (ROAD index < 16%; first tertile; P < 0.05). Of all routinely used indirect alcohol markers, percentage of carbohydrate-deficient transferrin is the major predictor of recidivism of drunk-driving. The association with gamma-glutamyltransferase, alanine amino transferase and the sex of the driver could have additional value for identifying drunk-drivers at intermediate risk of

  6. The importance of self-regulatory and goal-conflicting processes in the avoidance of drunk driving among Greek young drivers.

    PubMed

    Liourta, Elissavet; van Empelen, Pepijn

    2008-05-01

    The present study examined self-regulatory and goal-conflicting processes in the avoidance of drunk driving among Greek young drivers. A total of 361 university students in Greece completed a questionnaire, using a retrospective cross-sectional survey design. One-third reported to have driven under the influence of alcohol. Although prior intentions were clearly related to actual avoidance of drunk driving, one out of five respondents had not complied with their intention. An examination of post-intentional correlates of avoidance of drunk driving among positive intenders showed that avoidance of drunk driving was positively related to alcohol limitation plans and alcohol limitation self-efficacy, whereas negative relations were found for goal conflict and behavioural willingness. The present study suggests that people should not only be motivated but also be equipped with self-regulatory strategies aiming at the avoidance of drinking. Finally, goal commitment should be enhanced by increasing the salience of the avoidance goal.

  7. Traffic violations in Guangdong Province of China: speeding and drunk driving.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Guangnan; Yau, Kelvin K W; Gong, Xiangpu

    2014-03-01

    The number of speeding- and drunk driving-related injuries in China surged in the years immediately preceding 2004 and then began to decline. However, the percent decrease in the number of speeding and drunk driving incidents (decrease by 22%) is not proportional to the corresponding percent decrease in number of automobile accident-related injuries (decrease by 47%) from the year 2004 to 2010 (Traffic Management Bureau, Ministry of Public Security, Annual Statistical Reports on Road Traffic Accidents). Earlier studies have established traffic violations as one of the major risks threatening road safety. In this study, we examine in greater detail two important types of traffic violation events, speeding and drunk driving, and attempt to identify significant risk factors associated with these types of traffic violations. Risk factors in several different dimensions, including driver, vehicle, road and environmental factors, are considered. We analyze the speeding (N=11,055) and drunk driving (N=10,035) data for the period 2006-2010 in Guangdong Province, China. These data, obtained from the Guangdong Provincial Security Department, are extracted from the Traffic Management Sector-Specific Incident Case Data Report and are the only comprehensive and official source of traffic accident data in China. Significant risk factors associating with speeding and drunk driving are identified. We find that several factors are associated with a significantly higher probability of both speeding and drunk driving, particularly male drivers, private vehicles, the lack of street lighting at night and poor visibility. The impact of other specific and unique risk factors for either speeding or drunk driving, such as hukou, road type/grades, commercial vehicles, compulsory third party insurance and vehicle safety status, also require particular attention. Legislative or regulatory measures targeting different vehicle types and/or driver groups with respect to the various driver

  8. The brewing industry views the drunk-driving problem.

    PubMed

    Ross, H L

    1986-12-01

    A survey of executives in the largest U.S. and Canadian brewing companies reveals acknowledgment of a drunk-driving problem in which their product is implicated through misuse. It is thought that the industry can and should endorse countermeasures premised on the responsibility of the driver and drinker, which leads to active cooperation with the anti-drunk-driving movement in North America. However, the industry can and should oppose drunk-driving countermeasures premised on a negative view of the product; this stance is likely to result in future conflict with the movement.

  9. A Precise Drunk Driving Detection Using Weighted Kernel Based on Electrocardiogram.

    PubMed

    Wu, Chung Kit; Tsang, Kim Fung; Chi, Hao Ran; Hung, Faan Hei

    2016-05-09

    Globally, 1.2 million people die and 50 million people are injured annually due to traffic accidents. These traffic accidents cost $500 billion dollars. Drunk drivers are found in 40% of the traffic crashes. Existing drunk driving detection (DDD) systems do not provide accurate detection and pre-warning concurrently. Electrocardiogram (ECG) is a proven biosignal that accurately and simultaneously reflects human's biological status. In this letter, a classifier for DDD based on ECG is investigated in an attempt to reduce traffic accidents caused by drunk drivers. At this point, it appears that there is no known research or literature found on ECG classifier for DDD. To identify drunk syndromes, the ECG signals from drunk drivers are studied and analyzed. As such, a precise ECG-based DDD (ECG-DDD) using a weighted kernel is developed. From the measurements, 10 key features of ECG signals were identified. To incorporate the important features, the feature vectors are weighted in the customization of kernel functions. Four commonly adopted kernel functions are studied. Results reveal that weighted feature vectors improve the accuracy by 11% compared to the computation using the prime kernel. Evaluation shows that ECG-DDD improved the accuracy by 8% to 18% compared to prevailing methods.

  10. Chapter Leadership Profiles among Citizen Activists in the Drunk Driving Movement.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ungerleider, Steven; Bloch, Steven

    1987-01-01

    Study of Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) analyzed the chapter emphasis, levels of satisfaction and relationship to national office on several measures. Surveying 212 chapters, MADD leadership provided profile of independent, autonomous activists in the drunk driving countermeasure movement. (Author)

  11. DUI pre-arrest alcohol purchases: a survey of Sonoma County drunk drivers.

    PubMed

    Fontaine, R A

    1992-07-01

    Based on a sample of 1,052 drunk drivers in northern California, less than 1% (0.80%) of those arrested for DUI had purchased and consumed alcohol prior to arrest from a convenience/gas store (gasmart). Data from both "on-sale" (on-premises consumption) and "off-sale" (off-premises consumption) alcohol outlets were compared. When off-sale outlets were compared only 2% of the DUI offenders had purchased and consumed alcohol from gasmarts prior to the arrest event. Gasmarts were the least frequent source of DUI-offender alcohol purchases. This report also describes the distribution of alcohol outlets for Sonoma and San Diego counties with respect to type of license and activity. Convenience stores that sold gas and alcohol concurrently were not overrepresented in either county.

  12. Effect of news coverage on the prevalence of drunk-driving behavior: evidence from a longitudinal study.

    PubMed

    Yanovitzky, Itzhak

    2002-05-01

    To examine the proposition that antidrunk driving messages in the news media contributed indirectly to the decline in drunk driving over the past two decades through their impact on related policy making processes. Time series regression techniques are applied to longitudinal data to examine the causal association between drivers' involvement in drunk-driving behavior, the volume of news coverage devoted to the drunk driving issue, and related policy making. Results show a significant contribution of news coverage to drunk-driving-related policy actions, which in turn are associated with a reduction in drunk driving among young and high-risk drivers. There was no evidence of a direct causal association between news coverage and change in drunk-driving behavior. News coverage of alcohol-related risky behaviors seems to provide a cost-effective way of reducing the prevalence of these practices by attracting institutional attention and prompting related environmental changes. Future interventions may benefit from actively seeking to influence news coverage of risky behaviors.

  13. Drunk driving warning system (DDWS). Volume 2, Field test evaluation

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1983-12-01

    The Drunk Driving Warning System (DDWS) is a vehicle-mounted device for testing driver impairment and activating alarms. The driver must pass a steering competency test (the Critical Tracking Task or CTT) in order to drive the car in a normal manner....

  14. Drunk driving warning system (DDWS). Volume 1, System concept and description

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1983-11-01

    The Drunk Driving Warning System (DDWS) is a vehicle-mounted device for testing driver impairment and activating alarms. The driver must pass a steering competency test in order to drive the car in a normal manner. The emergency flasher system operat...

  15. Changes in alcohol-involved fatal crashes associated with tougher state alcohol legislation

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1989-07-01

    From 1982 to 1988, many states implemented statutes, such as administrative suspension of driver licenses and mandatory jail terms and/or fines for persons convicted of drunk driving, intended to reduce the incidence of alcohol-related motor vehicle ...

  16. Drunk driving detection based on classification of multivariate time series.

    PubMed

    Li, Zhenlong; Jin, Xue; Zhao, Xiaohua

    2015-09-01

    This paper addresses the problem of detecting drunk driving based on classification of multivariate time series. First, driving performance measures were collected from a test in a driving simulator located in the Traffic Research Center, Beijing University of Technology. Lateral position and steering angle were used to detect drunk driving. Second, multivariate time series analysis was performed to extract the features. A piecewise linear representation was used to represent multivariate time series. A bottom-up algorithm was then employed to separate multivariate time series. The slope and time interval of each segment were extracted as the features for classification. Third, a support vector machine classifier was used to classify driver's state into two classes (normal or drunk) according to the extracted features. The proposed approach achieved an accuracy of 80.0%. Drunk driving detection based on the analysis of multivariate time series is feasible and effective. The approach has implications for drunk driving detection. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and National Safety Council. All rights reserved.

  17. Impact of a driver intervention program on DWI recidivism and problem drinking

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1985-12-01

    This was a natural history study comparing the effects of a brief jail sentence, suspended sentence/fine, or a therapeutic intervention known as The Weekend Intervention Program (WIP) on drunk driving recidivism and alcohol-related crashes, Offenders...

  18. Which young people accept a lift from a drunk or drugged driver?

    PubMed

    Calafat, A; Adrover-Roig, D; Blay, N; Juan, M; Bellis, M; Hughes, K; Mendes, F; Kokkevi, A

    2009-07-01

    Riding with a drunk and/or a drugged driver (RDD) is a risk behaviour that has received very little attention in spite of its potential dangers. Young people involved in the recreational nightlife context are especially at risk. 1363 regular users of recreational nightlife from nine European countries (mean age: 21.75; 51.5% women) filled out a self-administered and anonymous questionnaire (in 2006). 37.2% had practised RDD during the previous month. RDD is related to drunkenness and use of drugs, personality factors such as impulsivity, preferring to use a private car to get to nightlife venues, living in a southern European country and being unemployed. No significant influence was found for age, gender, educational level or socioeconomic status. It is important to raise awareness about the high prevalence of RDD. This lack of awareness can be related to its social acceptance among young people. The use of private cars for going to nightlife venues should be discouraged.

  19. Field evaluation of jail sanctions for DWI

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1988-04-29

    The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of Tennessee's two-day mandatory jail sanction for first-offense DWI on general deterrence, special deterrence, and the operation of the drinking-driver control system. Our analysis of general de...

  20. Challenges associated with drunk driving measurement: combining police and self-reported data to estimate an accurate prevalence in Brazil.

    PubMed

    Sousa, Tanara; Lunnen, Jeffrey C; Gonçalves, Veralice; Schmitz, Aurinez; Pasa, Graciela; Bastos, Tamires; Sripad, Pooja; Chandran, Aruna; Pechansky, Flavio

    2013-12-01

    Drunk driving is an important risk factor for road traffic crashes, injuries and deaths. After June 2008, all drivers in Brazil were subject to a "Zero Tolerance Law" with a set breath alcohol concentration of 0.1 mg/L of air. However, a loophole in this law enabled drivers to refuse breath or blood alcohol testing as it may self-incriminate. The reported prevalence of drunk driving is therefore likely a gross underestimate in many cities. To compare the prevalence of drunk driving gathered from police reports to the prevalence gathered from self-reported questionnaires administered at police sobriety roadblocks in two Brazilian capital cities, and to estimate a more accurate prevalence of drunk driving utilizing three correction techniques based upon information from those questionnaires. In August 2011 and January-February 2012, researchers from the Centre for Drug and Alcohol Research at the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul administered a roadside interview on drunk driving practices to 805 voluntary participants in the Brazilian capital cities of Palmas and Teresina. Three techniques which include measures such as the number of persons reporting alcohol consumption in the last six hours but who had refused breath testing were used to estimate the prevalence of drunk driving. The prevalence of persons testing positive for alcohol on their breath was 8.8% and 5.0% in Palmas and Teresina respectively. Utilizing a correction technique we calculated that a more accurate prevalence in these sites may be as high as 28.2% and 28.7%. In both cities, about 60% of drivers who self-reported having drank within six hours of being stopped by the police either refused to perform breathalyser testing; fled the sobriety roadblock; or were not offered the test, compared to about 30% of drivers that said they had not been drinking. Despite the reduction of the legal limit for drunk driving stipulated by the "Zero Tolerance Law," loopholes in the legislation permit many

  1. The specific deterrence of administrative per se laws in reducing drunk driving recidivism.

    PubMed

    McArthur, D L; Kraus, J F

    1999-01-01

    To determine if administrative per se laws are more effective than other forms of sanction against drunk drivers. The overall goal of the search strategy was to identify all relevant research concerning the specific effects of administrative per se laws in reducing drunk driving recidivism, traffic crashes, and other alcohol-related driving offenses by those drivers with suspended licenses. Known review articles and MEDLINE reviews formed the reference bibliography; numerous databases were searched from 1966 to the present, using such terms as alcohol, driver's license, recidivism, deterrence, and legislation. To be selected the study had to be designed to test the presence of an administrative per se license revocation or restriction in a defined cohort, have a suitable comparison cohort whose sanctions for drunk driving were not administrative per se, and provide relevant data that lead to an objective assessment of recidivism. Types of studies included were randomized controlled trials, nonrandomized controlled trials, other specialized cohort studies, and case-control studies. Three studies were identified; all met inclusion criteria. One of the studies provided Kaplan-Meier survival curves for failure times defined as days to new conviction following the initial arrest. Odds ratios and 99% confidence intervals were extracted from two of the studies and additional information was supplied by the author of one of the studies. One study found that one state in the United States experienced a reduction of about one third in repeat arrests for drunk driving over a 3-year period among those who were arrested under administrative per se, relative to recidivism seen in a comparison cohort of drivers prior to administrative per se. Two other states did not experience any change in recidivism. The second study found that drivers whose licenses were suspended under administrative per se were 39% less likely during the first year following suspension to be rearrested on

  2. Jail Management. Book 6: Jail Planning.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blumer, Alice Howard

    The course is for independent study by jail officers who must learn that, in addition to their rountine tasks, they must be prepared to be well-trained, responsible professionals, making important decisions and avoiding the mistakes and disproven beliefs of the past. The jail administrator must continually wrestle with the problems of conflicting…

  3. Jail Management. Book 1: Administration of Jail Operations.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blumer, Alice Howard

    The course is for independent study by jail officers who must learn that, in addition to their routine tasks, they must be prepared to be well-trained, responsible professionals, making important decisions and avoiding the mistakes and disproven beliefs of the past. The jail administrator must continually wrestle with the problems of conflicting…

  4. Jail Operations: Programmed Instruction, Book 2. Jail Operations.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blumer, Alice Howard

    The programed course was written to help jail officers assume the demands of jail work and emphasizes that, in addition to routine tasks, officers must be fully prepared to serve an important function for society as well-trained, responsible professionals. Much of the officer's job will depend on his ability to make decisions and to avoid the…

  5. Jail Management. Book 3. Jail and Community Corrections Programs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blumer, Alice Howard

    The course is for independent study by jail officers who must learn that, in addition to their routine tasks, they must be prepared to be well-trained, responsible professionals, making important decisions and avoiding the mistakes and disproven beliefs of the past. The jail administrator must continually wrestle with the problems of conflicting…

  6. Onset of a Declining Trend in Fatal Motor Vehicle Crashes Involving Drunk-driving in Japan

    PubMed Central

    Nakahara, Shinji; Katanoda, Kota; Ichikawa, Masao

    2013-01-01

    Background In Japan, introduction of severe drunk-driving penalties and a lower blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit in June 2002 was followed by a substantial reduction in fatal alcohol-related crashes. However, previous research suggests that this reduction started before the legal amendments. The causes of the decrease have not been studied in detail. Methods Monthly police data on fatal road traffic crashes from January 1995 to August 2006 were analyzed using a joinpoint regression model to identify change-points in the trends of the proportion of drunk-driving among drivers primarily responsible for fatal crashes. We analyzed the data by BAC level (≥0.5 or <0.5 mg/ml), then conducted analyses stratified by vehicle type (car or motorcycle) and age group (<45 or ≥45 years) only for the proportion of those with a BAC of 0.5 mg/ml or higher. Results Among all drivers, the proportion of those with a BAC of 0.5 mg/ml or higher and those with a BAC greater than 0 but less than 0.5 mg/ml showed a change-point from increase to decrease in February 2000 and in May 2002, respectively. The proportion of those with a BAC of 0.5 mg/ml or higher showed a change-point from increase to decrease in October 1999 among car drivers and in April 2000 among drivers younger than 45 years. There was no change-point among motorcyclists. A change-point from no trend to a decrease in January 2002 was observed among those 45 years or older. Conclusions The change-point identified around the end of 1999 to the start of 2000 suggests that a high-profile fatal crash in November 1999, which drew media attention and provoked public debate, triggered subsequent changes in drunk-driving behavior. PMID:23604061

  7. Alcohol-control public service announcements (PSAs) and drunk-driving fatal accidents in the United States, 1996-2010.

    PubMed

    Niederdeppe, Jeff; Avery, Rosemary; Miller, Emily N

    2017-06-01

    Widespread concern regarding the detrimental effects of excessive alcohol consumption (especially by minors) and associated social problems (particularly drunk driving) continues to exist among policymakers, law enforcement officers, and the general public. Alcohol consumption is a leading contributor to death from injuries, which itself is one of the main causes of death for people under 21years of age in the United States. This study examines the relationship between the volume and timing of alcohol-control public service announcements (PSAs) and rates of drunk-driving fatal accidents in the U.S. We estimate ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models to predict rates of drunk-driving fatal accidents by state and month as a function of the volume of alcohol-control PSAs aired during the previous 8months. Models include controls for state anti-drunk-driving laws and regulations, state demographic characteristics, state taxes on alcohol, calendar year, and seasonality. Results indicate that higher volumes of anti-drunk driving PSAs airing in the preceding 2 to 3months are associated, albeit modest in magnitude, with reduced rates of drunk-driving fatal accidents. The regression coefficients are largest for adults (relative to underage drunk drivers) and when the PSAs air during prime time (relative to daytime or nighttime). We conclude that PSAs could play an important contributing role in reducing drunk-driving fatal accidents, although levels of exposure and potential effects likely remain modest due to reliance on donated air time. Well-funded anti-drunk driving campaigns could achieve higher levels of exposure and have a larger impact. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Last Call: decreasing drunk driving among 21-34-year-old bar patrons.

    PubMed

    Rivara, Frederick P; Boisvert, Deanne; Relyea-Chew, Annemarie; Gomez, Tony

    2012-01-01

    Any effort to decrease the toll of drunk driving must include efforts directed at people who drink in bars, particularly young adults who use motor vehicles after drinking. We designed a multifaceted social marketing campaign, Last Call, to increase the use of designated drivers and safe rides homes among 21-34-year olds. There were three components to the intervention: (1) use of taxi stands to promote taxi use; (2) point-of-sale information to patrons at partner bars and (3) a mass media campaign to support the designated driver/safe ride home message. Among the heaviest drinkers, the programme significantly increased the use of designated drivers and increased the use of taxis by 63%.

  9. How to save lives and reduce injuries : a citizen activist guide to effectively fight drunk driving.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1982-08-01

    This guide is designed to teach you the basics of exactly how to get drunk drivers off the roads in enough numbers so that there will, in fact, be significantly fewer innocent people killed and injured where you live. And it only takes one motivated ...

  10. Licensing and Other Controls of the Drinking Driver.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Waller, Patricia F.

    Driver licensing, the only state program with the opportunity for routine personal contact with every driver, has unmatched potential for both general and specific countermeasures to the problem of drunk driving. General countermeasures apply to large groups of drivers prior to the occurrence of any infraction. They may be considered basically…

  11. Parents in jail.

    PubMed

    Kemper, K J; Rivara, F P

    1993-08-01

    To determine the number of children in the United States with parents incarcerated in jail and to describe the characteristics of these parents and their criminal histories. Inmates of local jails accounting for 36.5% of the incarcerated population of the US in 1989. Personal interviews with 5675 inmates randomly selected from 393,553 inmates of 3312 local jails in 1989. 44,263 (36%) inmates had children younger than the age of 15. Fathers outnumbered mothers 10-fold; the majority were in their 20s or 30s, unmarried, and poorly educated. The vast majority of parents had a record of prior offenses, and substance abuse accounted for one third of the incarcerations. Substance abuse was reported by 84% of inmates and 95% had sought prior treatment for alcohol, drug, or other mental health problems. Nearly 1 of 50 children in the US has a parent in jail. Parental imprisonment is not rare, is often chronic, and is strongly associated with other psychosocial and health problems in the family. Screening for parental imprisonment potentially should be included as part of a comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment.

  12. Drinking driver and traffic safety project. Volume 1

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1972-05-01

    This is the final report of a four-year study of drinking drivers. On the basis of analyses of over 4,000 cases (approximately 1400 of whom were driver's license applicants who had no convictions for drunk-driving, and the remainder had been convicte...

  13. Experimental testing of designated driver cues

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2000-07-27

    In theory, the designated-driver concept holds great promise for reducing the incidences of drunk driving. It is simple, inexpensive, almost universally recognized, and generally positively regarded by the U.S. population as a means for avoiding drun...

  14. General deterrence effects of U.S. statutory DUI fine and jail penalties: long-term follow-up in 32 states.

    PubMed

    Wagenaar, Alexander C; Maldonado-Molina, Mildred M; Erickson, Darin J; Ma, Linan; Tobler, Amy L; Komro, Kelli A

    2007-09-01

    We examined effects of state statutory changes in DUI fine or jail penalties for firsttime offenders from 1976 to 2002. A quasi-experimental time-series design was used (n=324 monthly observations). Four outcome measures of drivers involved in alcohol-related fatal crashes are: single-vehicle nighttime, low BAC (0.01-0.07g/dl), medium BAC (0.08-0.14g/dl), high BAC (>/=0.15g/dl). All analyses of BAC outcomes included multiple imputation procedures for cases with missing data. Comparison series of non-alcohol-related crashes were included to efficiently control for effects of other factors. Statistical models include state-specific Box-Jenkins ARIMA models, and pooled general linear mixed models. Twenty-six states implemented mandatory minimum fine policies and 18 states implemented mandatory minimum jail penalties. Estimated effects varied widely from state to state. Using variance weighted meta-analysis methods to aggregate results across states, mandatory fine policies are associated with an average reduction in fatal crash involvement by drivers with BAC>/=0.08g/dl of 8% (averaging 13 per state per year). Mandatory minimum jail policies are associated with a decline in single-vehicle nighttime fatal crash involvement of 6% (averaging 5 per state per year), and a decline in low-BAC cases of 9% (averaging 3 per state per year). No significant effects were observed for the other outcome measures. The overall pattern of results suggests a possible effect of mandatory fine policies in some states, but little effect of mandatory jail policies.

  15. [Risk factors for road traffic injury in agricultural vehicle drivers].

    PubMed

    Cui, M J; Chen, Y; Li, Y; Hu, J; Zhang, X J

    2017-08-20

    Objective: To examine the risk factors for road traffic injury in agricultural vehicle drivers. Methods: A total of 103 drivers (who had suffered agricultural vehicle road traffic injury within the past year based on the road traffic injury registrar from the Traffic Management Bureau) who were involved in the annual agricultural vehicle inspection from December 2014 to January 2015 were randomly sampled from the Yixing Agricultural Vehicle Station as the case group for this study. Based on a 1∶2 assignment ratio and matched for sex, age, and education, a total of 206 drivers who had not suffered any agricultural vehicle road traffic injury within the past year were selected as the control group. The general information, vehicle information, driving information, driving behavior, and accident details of the agricultural vehicle drivers were analyzed. Results: The incidence rate of road traffic injury was 7.24% given the 103 agricultural vehicle drivers who had suffered agricultural vehicle road traffic injury in the past year. Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that drinking, debt, pressure, history of car accident, history of drunk driving, smoking and phone use during driving, fatigue driving, and driving with illness were the risk factors for road traffic injury in agricultural vehicle drivers ( OR =2.332, 2.429, 19.778, 5.589, 8.517, 2.125, 3.203, 10.249 and 5.639, respectively) . Multivariate logistic regression analysis also demonstrated that pressure, history of car accident, history of drunk driving, fatigue driving, and driving with illness were the risk factors for road traffic injury in agricultural vehicle drivers ( OR =12.139, 11.184, 6.729, 5.939, and 6.544, respectively) . Conclusion: Pressure, history of car accident, history of drunk driving, fatigue driving, and driving with illness are the major risk factors for road traffic injury in agricultural vehicle drivers.

  16. Jails, a neglected opportunity for tuberculosis prevention.

    PubMed

    MacNeil, Jessica R; McRill, Cheryl; Steinhauser, Gale; Weisbuch, Jonathan B; Williams, Elizabeth; Wilson, Mark L

    2005-02-01

    The proportion of tuberculosis (TB) cases diagnosed among residents of correctional facilities in Arizona increased from 2.7% in 1993 to 8.0% in 2000, while the national average remained at approximately 4%. The purpose of this study was to determine the proportion of TB cases in Maricopa County, Arizona with a history of incarceration in the local county jail, and to describe missed opportunities for the prevention and early detection of active TB cases in this population. A cross-match was used to identify persons reported to have TB in Maricopa County in 1999 and 2000 who also had a history of incarceration in the county jail. Jail medical records of cases were reviewed to determine if they had been screened for TB while incarcerated and the type of screening received. TB isolates for cases who had been in jail were genotyped using IS6110 restriction fragment-length polymorphism (RFLP) with secondary spoligotyping. Nearly one quarter (24.3%) of TB cases had a history of incarceration in the county jail. Most (82.8%) received no TB screening while in jail. Of 34 cases with available isolates, six shared a single genotype by RFLP and spoligotyping. Increased screening and treatment of latent TB infection in jails might assist with TB control in the community.

  17. Alcohol use and drunk driving: the modifying effect of impulsivity.

    PubMed

    Moan, Inger Synnøve; Norström, Thor; Storvoll, Elisabet E

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this study was twofold: (a) to examine how an increase in the frequency of heavy drinking episodes affects the incidence of drunk driving and (b) to examine whether the effect of alcohol use on drunk driving is contingent on impulsivity. Two waves of the Young in Norway Longitudinal Study were applied (N = 2,603; response rate: 67%), when the respondents were on average 17 (1994) and 28 (2005) years of age. Measurements consisted of self-reported heavy episodic drinking, drunk driving, and impulsivity. The first difference method was applied to estimate the association between heavy episodic drinking and drunk driving. This means that changes in the frequency of drunk driving were regressed on changes in the frequency of drinking. In this way, the effects of time-invariant confounders were eliminated. The results showed that every additional episode of heavy drinking was associated with a 2.6% increase in the frequency of drunk driving. The increase for males was significantly higher than among females. The analyses supported the hypothesis that impulsivity modifies the association between alcohol use and drunk driving. The association between drinking and drunk driving is significantly stronger among those with a high score on impulsivity compared with those who have a low score.

  18. Injury surveillance in New York City jails.

    PubMed

    Ludwig, Ariel; Cohen, Louise; Parsons, Amanda; Venters, Homer

    2012-06-01

    To characterize injuries occurring in jails, we analyzed injury report forms from the New York City jail system. We abstracted data from 4695 injury report forms representing 3863 patients. Of the injuries reported, 66% were classified as intentional. The 2 leading causes of injuries were inmate-on-inmate aggression (40%) and slips and falls (27%). Injuries place a considerable burden on jail health care systems, and there is a need for more studies on this problem and development of injury prevention programs.

  19. Mentally disordered women in jail: who receives services?

    PubMed Central

    Teplin, L A; Abram, K M; McClelland, G M

    1997-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: Many jail inmates have severe psychiatric disorders (e.g., schizophrenia, major affective disorders). The courts have mandated that detainees have a constitutional right to treatment. We investigated what proportion of female jail detainees needed mental health services, what proportion received services, and what variables predicted who received services. METHODS: Trained interviewers administered a psychiatric evaluation (the NIMH Diagnostic Interview Schedule) to 1272 randomly selected female jail detainees during jail intake in a large Midwestern city. Project staff then documented whether women subsequently received services, using records and case files. RESULTS: Of the women who needed services, 23.5% received them while they were in jail. Type of disorder, treatment history, and socio-demographic variables all affected the odds of a mentally ill woman's receiving services. CONCLUSIONS: Correctional health care is a growing national public health problem. The magnitude of mental health service needs far exceeds current resources. PMID:9146439

  20. Injury Surveillance in New York City Jails

    PubMed Central

    Ludwig, Ariel; Cohen, Louise; Parsons, Amanda

    2012-01-01

    To characterize injuries occurring in jails, we analyzed injury report forms from the New York City jail system. We abstracted data from 4695 injury report forms representing 3863 patients. Of the injuries reported, 66% were classified as intentional. The 2 leading causes of injuries were inmate-on-inmate aggression (40%) and slips and falls (27%). Injuries place a considerable burden on jail health care systems, and there is a need for more studies on this problem and development of injury prevention programs. PMID:22515857

  1. Jail Management. Book 5: Legal Problems.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blumer, Alice Howard

    The course is for independent study by jail officers who must learn that, in addition to their rountine tasks, they must be prepared to be well-trained, responsible professionals, making important decisions and avoiding the mistakes and disproven beliefs of the past. The jail administrator must continually wrestle with the problems of conflicting…

  2. Drunk Personality: Reports from Drinkers and Knowledgeable Informants

    PubMed Central

    Winograd, Rachel P.; Steinley, Douglas; Sher, Kenneth J.

    2014-01-01

    Objective Existing literature supports the Five-Factor Model (FFM) of personality (i.e., Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability, and Intellect or Openness) as a comprehensive representation of stable aspects of mood, affect, and behavior. This study evaluated the FFM as a framework for both self-perceptions of drunkenness (i.e. individual changes in mood, affect, and behavior associated with one’s own intoxication), as well “drinking buddies’” perceptions of their friends’ drunkenness (i.e., changes in mood, affect, and behavior associated with a friend’s intoxication) and the association of reported sober-to-drunk differences with negative alcohol-related consequences. Method College-student drinkers (N = 374 [187 “drinking buddy” pairs]) reported on their sober and drunk levels of the five factors, as well as those of their drinking buddy. Buddies completed parallel assessments for themselves and their friend in order for rater agreement to be determined. All participants completed assessments of harmful alcohol outcomes experienced within the past year. Results Regardless of reporter, differences between drunken and sober states were found across all five factors and agreement between self and informant reports was consistently significant and comparable across sober and drunk conditions. Low levels of drunk Conscientiousness and drunk Emotional Stability were associated with experiencing more alcohol-related consequences, even when controlling for sober factor levels and binge drinking frequency. Conclusions Findings support the use of the FFM as a clinically relevant framework for organizing differences in personality expression associated with intoxication and the validity of self-reports of drunk personality. PMID:24796850

  3. Out of Jail and into Jobs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Forman, James, Jr.

    2008-01-01

    The author relates how the idea behind the school he founded came from events that transpired in the incarceration of a 16-year-old client, Eddie. Eddie, who was charged with trespassing and stealing, pleaded to the author that he wanted "a program" instead of going to jail. However, the court found him guilty and sent him to jail. Years later,…

  4. Tuberculosis prevalence in an urban jail: 1994 and 1998.

    PubMed

    White, M C; Tulsky, J P; Portillo, C J; Menendez, E; Cruz, E; Goldenson, J

    2001-05-01

    Despite a continuing decline in tuberculosis (TB) in the US, jails remain a high-risk setting for the identification of active and latent TB infection (LTBI). The purpose of this study was to document the change in TB prevalence in the San Francisco City and County Jail. Two period prevalence analyses were done, for 1994 and 1998. The sample included all persons booked into jail during the two years. The rates of inmates screened and the prevalence of active TB and LTBI by sex and ethnicity were compared using computerized records. Prevalence of active TB was 72.1 per 100000 jail population for 1998, and did not change significantly from 1994. In 1998 one third of active TB cases were found through jail screening. Latinos represented respectively 20.1% and 17.7% of those booked in 1994 and 1998, but 43.0% and 41.7% of inmates with LTBI. In 1998, being Latino (odds ratio 2.9) and male (odds ratio 1.6) were most strongly associated with LTBI. Screening for TB among jail inmates is an increasingly valuable clinical and epidemiological tool for case-finding and for identifying persons who would benefit from preventive therapy.

  5. Understanding the knowledge and attitudes of commercial drivers in Ghana regarding alcohol impaired driving

    PubMed Central

    Asiamah, G; Mock, C; Blantari, J

    2002-01-01

    Objectives: The knowledge and attitudes of commercial drivers in Ghana as regards alcohol impaired driving were investigated. This was done in order to provide information that could subsequently be used to develop antidrunk driving social marketing messages built upon the intrinsic values and motivation of these drivers. Methods: Focus group discussions were held with 43 bus and minibus drivers in the capital city, Accra. A structured discussion guide was used to capture information related to values, risk perceptions, leisure time activities, and attitudes on alcohol impaired driving. Results: The majority of drivers expressed an understanding that drunk driving was a significant risk factor for crashes. There was a significant under-appreciation of the extent of the problem, however. Most believed that it was only rare, extremely intoxicated drivers who were the problem. The drivers also had a minimal understanding of the concept of blood alcohol concentration and related legal limits. Despite these factors, there was widespread support for increased enforcement of existing antidrunk driving laws. Conclusions: In Ghana, commercial drivers understand the basic danger of drunk driving and are motivated to assist in antidrunk driving measures. There are misconceptions and deficits in knowledge that need to be addressed in subsequent educational campaigns. PMID:11928975

  6. Integration& Operation of a Microgrid at Santa Rita Jail

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chevron Energy Solutions; Alameda County; DeForest, Nicholas

    2011-05-01

    Santa Rita Jail is a 4,500 inmate facility located in Dublin CA, approximately 40 miles (65 km) east of San Francisco. Over the past decade, a series of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) installations and efficiency measures have been undertaken to transform the 3MW facility into a"Green Jail". These include a 1.2MW rated rooftop PV system installed in 2002, a 1MW molten carbonate fuel cell with CHP, and retrofits to lighting and HVAC systems to reduce peak loads. With the upcoming installation of a large-scale battery and fast static disconnect switch, Santa Rita Jail will become a true microgrid, with fullmore » CERTS Microgrid functionality. Consequently, the jail will be able to seamlessly disconnect from the grid and operate as an island in the event of a disturbance, reconnecting again once the disturbance has dissipated. The extent to which that jail is capable of islanding is principally dependant on the energy capacity of the battery-one focus of this investigation. Also presented here are overviews of the DER currently installed at the jail, as well as the value it provides by offsetting the purchase of electricity under the current Pacific Gas& Electric (PG&E) tariff.« less

  7. From chaos to calm: one jail system's struggle with suicide prevention.

    PubMed

    Hayes, L M

    1997-01-01

    This article profiles the suicide prevention practices at a large metropolitan jail, a facility that experienced nine inmate suicides in a recent 24-month period. The suicide rate in this facility was found to far exceed the rate for jails of comparable size as well as the national rate of jail suicides. The nine suicides are summarized and common features (including the issue of protective custody) of the deaths and systemic jail deficiencies are discussed. The process by which the jail system developed a suicide prevention program based upon the principles of staff training, identification/screening, communication, levels of supervision, housing, and intervention is offered.

  8. [An intercept survey on the status of driving after alcohol drinking among motor vehicle drivers in 6 counties of Zhejiang, China].

    PubMed

    Zhao, Ming; Zhang, Xin-wei; Song, Xiao-chun; Bao, Ping; Zhou, Peng; Zou, Yun

    2012-12-01

    To investigate the status of driving after drinking alcohol among motor vehicle drivers and to provide evidence for the development of specific interventions. A 7-day intercept survey on driving after alcohol drinking, having drinking habit or driving after getting drunk, among motor vehicle drivers, was conducted in 6 counties of Zhejiang province, 2010. 16 467 motor vehicle drivers were included in the survey. Rates of driving after drinking alcohol [blood alcohol concentration (BAC) > 0 mg/100 ml], having habit of drinking alcohol (20 mg/100 ml ≤ BAC < 80 mg/100 ml) and driving after being drunk (BAC ≥ 80 mg/100 ml), were 1.82%, 1.03% and 0.27% respectively. Rates of driving after drinking alcohol, having habit of drink alcohol and driving and drunk-driving among the drivers from urban areas were significantly higher than those of drivers from rural areas, and those rates of male drivers were significantly higher than female drivers as well. 60.20% of drivers after drinking alcohol, were 35 to 49 year-olds, and the three above said rates all increased along with age. The highest above said three rates were observed at 23:00 PM and 1:00 AM. Compared with other motor vehicle drivers, motorcyclists possessed the highest rates of the three items, as 9.27%, 5.01% and 1.57% respectively. Driving after drinking alcohol among motor vehicle drivers still prevailed in Zhejiang, especially between 23:00 PM and 1:00 AM. Drivers from the cities, being male or motorcyclists were among the high-risk populations that called for special attention to be paid in the future, including law enforcement and health promotion to fight against the problem.

  9. Tuberculosis prevention and control in large jails: a challenge to tuberculosis elimination.

    PubMed

    Roberts, Cheryl A; Lobato, Mark N; Bazerman, Lauri B; Kling, Ryan; Reichard, Audrey A; Hammett, Theodore M

    2006-02-01

    This study assessed the extent to which 20 large jail systems have implemented national recommendations for tuberculosis (TB) prevention and control in correctional facilities. Data were collected through questionnaires to jail medical directors and TB control directors, observation at the jails, and abstraction of medical records of inmates with TB disease and latent TB infection. Twenty percent of jail systems (4/20) had conducted an assessment of risk for TB transmission in their facilities, and 55% (11/20) monitored tuberculin skin test conversions of inmates and staff. Sixty-five percent (13/20) of jails had an aggregate record-keeping system for tracking TB status and treatment, which was usually paper based. Forty-five percent of jails (9/20) had policies to offer HIV counseling and testing to tuberculin skin test-positive patients, and 75% (15/20) screen HIV-infected inmates with chest radiographs. Three quarters of jails (15/20) had policies to always isolate patients with suspected or confirmed pulmonary TB in an airborne infection isolation room. Half of jails with airborne infection isolation rooms (6/12) conformed to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for monitoring negative pressure. Improvements are needed in conducting TB risk assessments and evaluations to determine priorities and reduce risk of transmission. Inadequate medical information systems are impeding TB control and evaluation efforts. Although HIV infection is the greatest cofactor for development of TB disease, jails have inadequate information on patients' HIV status to make informed decisions in screening and management of TB and latent TB infection. Jails need to improve the use of environmental controls.

  10. Mental Health Among Jail and Prison Inmates

    PubMed Central

    Yi, Youngmin; Turney, Kristin; Wildeman, Christopher

    2016-01-01

    Previous studies provide insight into the mental health of jail and prison inmates, but this research does not compare the two groups of inmates. Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, this article examines how the association between incarceration and self-reported mental health varies by facility type, net of an array of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Both jail and prison inmates report high rates of depression, life dissatisfaction, heavy drinking, and illicit drug use. In adjusted logistic regression models, those incarcerated in jails, compared with those not incarcerated, have higher odds of depression (odds ratio [OR] = 5.06, 90% confidence interval [CI; 1.96, 13.11]), life dissatisfaction (OR = 3.59, 90% CI [1.40, 9.24]), and recent illicit drug use (OR = 4.03, 90% CI [1.49, 10.58]). Those incarcerated in prisons have higher odds of life dissatisfaction (OR = 3.88, 90% CI [2.16, 6.94]) and lower odds of recent heavy drinking (OR = 0.32, 90% CI [0.13, 0.81]) compared with those not incarcerated. Furthermore, jail inmates report significantly more depression, heavy drinking, and illicit drug use than prison inmates. These results suggest the association between incarceration and mental health may vary substantially across facilities and highlight the importance of expanding research in this area beyond studies of prisons. The results also indicate that public health professionals in the correctional system should be especially attuned to the disproportionately high levels of poor mental health outcomes among jail inmates. PMID:27932588

  11. Mental Health Among Jail and Prison Inmates.

    PubMed

    Yi, Youngmin; Turney, Kristin; Wildeman, Christopher

    2017-07-01

    Previous studies provide insight into the mental health of jail and prison inmates, but this research does not compare the two groups of inmates. Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, this article examines how the association between incarceration and self-reported mental health varies by facility type, net of an array of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Both jail and prison inmates report high rates of depression, life dissatisfaction, heavy drinking, and illicit drug use. In adjusted logistic regression models, those incarcerated in jails, compared with those not incarcerated, have higher odds of depression (odds ratio [ OR] = 5.06, 90% confidence interval [CI; 1.96, 13.11]), life dissatisfaction ( OR = 3.59, 90% CI [1.40, 9.24]), and recent illicit drug use ( OR = 4.03, 90% CI [1.49, 10.58]). Those incarcerated in prisons have higher odds of life dissatisfaction ( OR = 3.88, 90% CI [2.16, 6.94]) and lower odds of recent heavy drinking ( OR = 0.32, 90% CI [0.13, 0.81]) compared with those not incarcerated. Furthermore, jail inmates report significantly more depression, heavy drinking, and illicit drug use than prison inmates. These results suggest the association between incarceration and mental health may vary substantially across facilities and highlight the importance of expanding research in this area beyond studies of prisons. The results also indicate that public health professionals in the correctional system should be especially attuned to the disproportionately high levels of poor mental health outcomes among jail inmates.

  12. Contrasting jail diversion and in-jail services for mental illness and substance abuse: do they serve the same clients?

    PubMed

    Draine, Jeffrey; Blank, Amy; Kottsieper, Petra; Solomon, Phyllis

    2005-01-01

    Baseline data from a study of jail diversion services and in-jail behavioral health services were used to examine the differences in clients served by these two models of responding to people with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse problems in the criminal justice system. Clients of the diversion service had more acute psychiatric symptoms and were more likely to have a diagnosis of psychosis NOS. Clients of the in-jail service were more likely to have been on probation or parole in the past and to have received substance abuse treatment. Different service models may attract and serve different populations of clients. Diversion services may cast a wider net that includes clients who may not have otherwise been involved in forensic services. Copyright (c) 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  13. Rural jail telepsychiatry: a pilot feasibility study.

    PubMed

    Manfredi, Luisa; Shupe, Joann; Batki, Steven L

    2005-10-01

    New York State has a large rural population, and many of the jails in rural areas have minimal or no psychiatric services available on site. Cost of transport to off-site psychiatric services and the safety issues related to moving inmates from a secure building may limit inmate access to appropriate psychiatric services. This feasibility study describes a project that provided telepsychiatric consultation to increase access to psychiatric treatment in an underserved rural jail in upstate New York. Subjects were consenting jail inmates who requested or were found to be in need of psychiatric care. The project provided interactive two-way audio-video communication between the psychiatrist located in an urban university medical center and subjects who were incarcerated 182 miles away. During the project period, 15 inmates were assessed and treated in 37 consultations. Subjects were predominantly young white males with anxiety, mood, and substance use disorders. Services were readily accepted by inmates and staff. Telepsychiatric examination and treatment appears to be a feasible method to increase access to mental health care in rural jails. Future advocacy for increased mental health services in rural areas in criminal justice setting is likely to depend on further evidence of favorable cost benefit.

  14. Injuries associated with bunk beds that occur in jail.

    PubMed

    Loder, Randall T; Young, Jocelyn Cole

    2018-01-01

    There are many studies of bunk bed injuries, but none specifically addressing those occurring in jails. It was the purpose of this study to investigate the magnitude and patterns of bunk bed injuries occurring in correctional institutions. The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) data for the 10 year period 2006 through 2015 due to bunk beds was accessed. Injuries involving bunk beds were identified and the mechanism of injury determined. Statistical analyses were performed with SUDAAN 10™ software. A p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. There were an estimated 639,505 ED visits for bunk bed associated injuries; 51,204 occurred in jail. All jail cases occurred in the age groups ≥10 years (177,165); 29% of these 177,165 sustained the injury in jail. Those who sustained a bunk bed injury in jail compared to those who did not were older, more commonly male, seen in smaller hospitals, more likely admitted, and more frequently associated with a seizure. For those injuries occurring in jail, the most common injury in the trunk and lower extremity was a strain/sprain; the upper extremity a contusion/abrasion; and the head/neck a laceration or traumatic brain injury. A fall off the bunk bed accounted for 71.8% of the injuries, had the highest hospital admission rate (7.4%), accounted for all of the spine injuries, 96% of the head injuries, and had the highest proportion of fractures (14.4%). Inmates having a seizure before the injury sustained fewer fractures, more lacerations, and more head/neck injuries. Injuries in jail account for 29% of all bunk bed injuries resulting in an ED visit in the USA in those age groups ≥10 years. A fall from the bed occurred in 72% and a seizure disorder was 4.5 times more common in jail inmates compared to non inmates. Possible prevention strategies include railings/ladders to reduce the incidence of falls, changes in flooring surfaces, and seizure education and placing inmates with seizure and

  15. The effect of a jail methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) program on inmate recidivism.

    PubMed

    McMillan, Garnett P; Lapham, Sandra; Lackey, Michael

    2008-12-01

    To evaluate the effects of a jail-based continuation of methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) on subsequent inmate recidivism risks. Prospective, longitudinal, observational study. A large, Southwestern United States jail that continues MMT for heroin-addicted inmates on MMT at the time of booking. A total of 589 inmates booked between 22 November 2005 (the start date for the MMT program) and 31 October 2006. The outcome measure was time from release to subsequent re-booking in the jail. Predictors included binary dosing with methadone in the jail, final dose received (mg), age, gender, race/ethnicity, previous bookings and days in jail. Random effects Weibull proportional hazards models were fit to the recidivism times to estimate the impact of treatment with MMT in the jail on re-booking risks. There was no statistically significant effect of receiving methadone in the jail or dosage on subsequent recidivism risks (hazard ratio = 1.16; 95% confidence interval = 0.8-1.68). Offering jail-based MMT does not increase recidivism risks by eliminating the deterrent effect of imposed withdrawal, nor does it reduce recidivism in this high-risk population.

  16. Does legislation to prevent alcohol sales to drunk individuals work? Measuring the propensity for night-time sales to drunks in a UK city.

    PubMed

    Hughes, Karen; Bellis, Mark A; Leckenby, Nicola; Quigg, Zara; Hardcastle, Katherine; Sharples, Olivia; Llewellyn, David J

    2014-05-01

    By measuring alcohol retailers' propensity to illegally sell alcohol to young people who appear highly intoxicated, we examine whether UK legislation is effective at preventing health harms resulting from drunk individuals continuing to access alcohol. 73 randomly selected pubs, bars and nightclubs in a city in North West England were subjected to an alcohol purchase test by pseudo-drunk actors. Observers recorded venue characteristics to identify poorly managed and problematic (PMP) bars. 83.6% of purchase attempts resulted in a sale of alcohol to a pseudo-intoxicated actor. Alcohol sales increased with the number of PMP markers bars had, yet even in those with no markers, 66.7% of purchase attempts resulted in a sale. Bar servers often recognised signs of drunkenness in actors, but still served them. In 18% of alcohol sales, servers attempted to up-sell by suggesting actors purchase double rather than single vodkas. UK law preventing sales of alcohol to drunks is routinely broken in nightlife environments, yet prosecutions are rare. Nightlife drunkenness places enormous burdens on health and health services. Preventing alcohol sales to drunks should be a public health priority, while policy failures on issues, such as alcohol pricing, are revisited.

  17. Toward a useful standard for hospitalizing pretrial jail detainees.

    PubMed

    Felthous, Alan R

    Severely mentally ill jail detainees require an adequate spectrum of mental health services during detainment. For some this means a limited period of treatment in a mental hospital, just as some mentally ill individuals in the community occasionally require hospital treatment. Unfortunately, this appropriate level of treatment is often denied or neglected for jail detainees with adverse consequences for them. Among the reasons for this neglect, may be standards for hospital transfer that are no longer practical and can be easily skirted by policymakers and administrators with little interest in ensuring this level of care for mentally ill jail inmates. A more realistic standard and justification would recognize the need for hospitalization for the mentally disordered detainee who because of psychotic anosognosia refuses appropriate treatment including medications and/or whose severely decompensated condition is worsening or failing to improve despite attempts at treatment in the jail. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Jail Mental Health Resourcing: A Conceptual and Empirical Study of Social Determinants.

    PubMed

    Helms, Ronald; Gutierrez, Ricky S; Reeves-Gutierrez, Debra

    2016-07-01

    U.S. county jails hold large populations of mentally ill inmates but have rarely been researched quantitatively to assess their collective capacity for providing mental health treatment. This research uses ordinal logit and a partial parallel slopes model and a large sample of U.S. counties to assess conceptualized links between local institutional and structural indicators and jail mental health resourcing. Strong church networks and high rates of adult education completion are associated with enhanced jail mental health resourcing. Urbanized areas and areas with deep economic ties to manufacturing appear supportive of a strong jail mental health system. Conversely, conservative political environments and areas with strong medical and mental health networks based in the community are correlated with reduced jail mental health resourcing. Evidence from this research adds to a growing understanding of the need for enhanced community mental health service and diagnostic capabilities in our nation's jails, noting the characteristics and correlates of model program jurisdictions and jurisdictions where program enhancements are most likely in order. © The Author(s) 2015.

  19. Using the K6 to Assess the Mental Health of Jailed Women

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kubiak, Sheryl Pimlott; Beeble, Marisa L.; Bybee, Deborah

    2009-01-01

    Despite high prevalence rates, many jails lack validated measures or consistent processes for detecting mental illness. In this study, we examined the utility of the K6, an internationally used brief mental health screening measure within an urban jail. The K6 and several other mental health measures were administered to 515 jailed women. The K6…

  20. Rehabilitation at the County Jail Level: A Model Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stearns, James D.

    The Ingham County, Michigan, Jail Rehabilitation Program is described. Attempting, as it does, to deal constructively with cell- and subsequent street-adjustment, the program is concerned with counseling and rehabilitation, and the provision of a bridge to the community. Efforts have been hindered by the brevity of sentences in a county jail, the…

  1. A profile of adolescent drivers convicted of felony drunk driving

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1996-01-01

    This study investigates, in case study format, all underage drivers in Michigan convicted of operating under the influence of liquor and causing a death (OUIL-death) during the two years following the enactment of this felony crime. All eight underag...

  2. 76 FR 33366 - New Jail Planning Initiative; Review and Revision

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-06-08

    ... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE National Institute of Corrections New Jail Planning Initiative; Review and Revision The following funding opportunity was published on Friday, May 20, 2011 in Volume 76, Issue 98. Solicitation for a Cooperative Agreement--New Jail Planning Initiative: Review and Revision. Funding...

  3. Free inside: The Music Class at Santa Ana Jail

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fierro, Joe

    2010-01-01

    This article examines the workings of the music class at the Santa Ana Jail in Santa Ana, California. It gives us insight into a jail system and a music class focused on helping inmates position themselves to become productive members of society. In this article I examine how the facility encourages inmates' good behaviour and why the music class…

  4. HIV risk behavior before and after HIV counseling and testing in jail: a pilot study.

    PubMed

    Beckwith, Curt G; Liu, Tao; Bazerman, Lauri B; DeLong, Allison K; Desjardins, Simon F; Poshkus, Michael M; Flanigan, Timothy P

    2010-04-01

    Jail incarceration represents an opportunity to deliver HIV counseling and testing (C&T) services to persons at increased risk of infection. However, jails can be chaotic with rapid turnover of detainees. We conducted a pilot study to investigate the feasibility of comparing the effect of different approaches to HIV C&T in jail on subsequent HIV risk behaviors among persons testing HIV negative. Consecutive cohorts of newly incarcerated jail detainees were recruited with 132 subjects completing standard HIV C&T as per jail protocol and 132 subjects completing rapid testing with an individualized counseling session. Risk behavior was assessed and compared at baseline and 6 weeks after jail release. Among the 264 male participants, preincarceration substance use and sexual risk were common. The follow-up visit was completed by 59% of eligible participants. There were no differences in postrelease HIV risk behavior between the 2 arms but there was an overall decrease in risk behavior after jail release for the cohort. In addition, all participants in the rapid arm received rapid HIV test results compared with participants receiving 28% of conventional test results. Jail incarceration represents an important public health opportunity to deliver HIV C&T. This study demonstrated (1) feasibility in delivering rapid HIV testing combined with individualized counseling to jail detainees, (2) improved test result delivery rates, and (3) success with evaluating risk behaviors during the transition from jail to the community. Further research is needed to determine the optimal approach to HIV C&T in jail with the goal of increasing awareness of HIV serostatus and decreasing HIV risk behavior.

  5. Pilot study of a brief dialectical behavior therapy skills group for jail inmates.

    PubMed

    Moore, Kelly E; Folk, Johanna B; Boren, Emily A; Tangney, June P; Fischer, Sarah; Schrader, Shannon W

    2018-02-01

    Regulating emotions, refraining from impulsive, maladaptive behavior, and communicating effectively are considered primary treatment needs among jail inmates. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT; Linehan, 1993a) skills address these deficits and have been implemented in long-term correctional settings, but have yet to be adapted for general population inmates in short-term jail settings. This study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of a DBT skills group in a jail setting, as well as its utility in improving coping skills and emotional/behavioral dysregulation. Male jail inmates participated in an 8-week DBT skills group and completed pre- and posttest assessments of coping skills, emotional/behavioral dysregulation, and measures of treatment acceptability. Out of 27 who started therapy, 16 completed it, primarily due to involuntary attrition such as transfer to another correctional facility. Although several logistical issues arose during this pilot study, preliminary results suggest that a brief DBT skills group is feasible and acceptable in a jail setting, and may improve coping skills and reduce externalization of blame among general population jail inmates. This study lays the groundwork for larger, controlled trials of abbreviated DBT skills groups for general population inmates in short-term jail settings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  6. The Effect of Jail Reform Policies on Guard/Management Relations.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pogrebin, Mark

    1987-01-01

    Interviewed 60 jail corrections officers in four types of jails to examine views about working relations and judgments of institutional policy. Respondents reported feeling unappreciated by superiors and powerless in relation to inmates. Officers were caught between administration demands for safety and recently acquired rights of inmates. (NB)

  7. The Contraceptive Needs for STD Protection among Women in Jail

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oswalt, Krista; Hale, Galen J.; Cropsey, Karen L.; Villalobos, Gabriella C.; Ivey, Sara E.; Matthews, Catherine A.

    2010-01-01

    We assessed the contraceptive needs of women in jails and their sexually transmitted disease (STD) history and risk to determine effective contraceptive methods for this population. A survey of demographics, sexual health, contraceptive use, and preferred method of contraception was completed by participants recruited at jails in a medium-sized…

  8. Older adults in jail: high rates and early onset of geriatric conditions.

    PubMed

    Greene, Meredith; Ahalt, Cyrus; Stijacic-Cenzer, Irena; Metzger, Lia; Williams, Brie

    2018-02-17

    The number of older adults in the criminal justice system is rapidly increasing. While this population is thought to experience an early onset of aging-related health conditions ("accelerated aging"), studies have not directly compared rates of geriatric conditions in this population to those found in the general population. The aims of this study were to compare the burden of geriatric conditions among older adults in jail to rates found in an age-matched nationally representative sample of community dwelling older adults. This cross sectional study compared 238 older jail inmates age 55 or older to 6871 older adults in the national Health and Retirement Study (HRS). We used an age-adjusted analysis, accounting for the difference in age distributions between the two groups, to compare sociodemographics, chronic conditions, and geriatric conditions (functional, sensory, and mobility impairment). A second age-adjusted analysis compared those in jail to HRS participants in the lowest quintile of wealth. All geriatric conditions were significantly more common in jail-based participants than in HRS participants overall and HRS participants in the lowest quintile of net worth. Jail-based participants (average age of 59) experienced four out of six geriatric conditions at rates similar to those found in HRS participants age 75 or older. Geriatric conditions are prevalent in older adults in jail at significantly younger ages than non-incarcerated older adults suggesting that geriatric assessment and geriatric-focused care are needed for older adults cycling through jail in their 50s and that correctional clinicians require knowledge about geriatric assessment and care.

  9. The Jailing of America's Homeless: Evaluating the Rabble Management Thesis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fitzpatrick, Kevin M.; Myrstol, Brad

    2011-01-01

    The authors of this article test hypotheses derived from Irwin's rabble management thesis. The analysis uses data from 47,592 interviews conducted with jailed adults in 30 U.S. cities as part of the Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring program. Clearly, homeless persons are overrepresented among those arrested and booked into local jails. Bivariate…

  10. Have drivers at alcohol outlets changed their behavior after the new traffic law?

    PubMed

    De Boni, Raquel B; Pechansky, Flavio; Vasconcellos, Mauricio T de; Bastos, Francisco I

    2014-01-01

    In an attempt to reduce high levels of traffic crashes, a new legislation was approved in Brazil in 2008. This study aimed to assess behavioral change among drivers who had drunk at alcohol outlets (AO) after implementation of the law. A three-stage probability sampling survey was conducted in Porto Alegre, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Individuals seen leaving AOs after drinking were approached (n=3,018). Selected drivers (n=683) answered a structured interview, were breathalyzed, and had saliva specimens collected for drug screening. Overall, 60.3% (SE 4.5) of drivers reported they did not change their behavior. Among those who reported behavioral changes, most reported drinking less as their main strategy toward safer driving behavior. Variables independently associated with behavior change included having drunk at a high outlet density area (odds ratio [OR] 1.7 [1.1-2.8]) and having a favorable opinion about the law (OR 4.3 [2.1-8.9]). Our findings suggest that awareness of the law has not been enough to promote behavioral change. As most drivers had a favorable opinion of the law and this variable was found to be the strongest predictor of behavior change, efforts to better integrate education and enforcement seem to be pivotal and might be well received by the population.

  11. Comparing Emotion Recognition Skills among Children with and without Jailed Parents.

    PubMed

    Hindt, Lauren A; Davis, Laurel; Schubert, Erin C; Poehlmann-Tynan, Julie; Shlafer, Rebecca J

    2016-01-01

    Approximately five million children in the United States have experienced a co-resident parent's incarceration in jail or prison. Parental incarceration is associated with multiple risk factors for maladjustment, which may contribute to the increased likelihood of behavioral problems in this population. Few studies have examined early predictors of maladjustment among children with incarcerated parents, limiting scholars' understanding about potential points for prevention and intervention. Emotion recognition skills may play a role in the development of maladjustment and may be amenable to intervention. The current study examined whether emotion recognition skills differed between 3- to 8-year-old children with and without jailed parents. We hypothesized that children with jailed parents would have a negative bias in processing emotions and less accuracy compared to children without incarcerated parents. Data were drawn from 128 families, including 75 children (53.3% male, M = 5.37 years) with jailed parents and 53 children (39.6% male, M = 5.02 years) without jailed parents. Caregivers in both samples provided demographic information. Children performed an emotion recognition task in which they were asked to produce a label for photos expressing six different emotions (i.e., happy, surprised, neutral, sad, angry, and fearful). For scoring, the number of positive and negative labels were totaled; the number of negative labels provided for neutral and positive stimuli were totaled (measuring negative bias/overextension of negative labels); and valence accuracy (i.e., positive, negative, and neutral) and label accuracy were calculated. Results indicated a main effect of parental incarceration on the number of positive labels provided; children with jailed parents presented significantly fewer positive emotions than the comparison group. There was also a main effect of parental incarceration on negative bias (the overextension of negative labels); children with

  12. Comparing Emotion Recognition Skills among Children with and without Jailed Parents

    PubMed Central

    Hindt, Lauren A.; Davis, Laurel; Schubert, Erin C.; Poehlmann-Tynan, Julie; Shlafer, Rebecca J.

    2016-01-01

    Approximately five million children in the United States have experienced a co-resident parent’s incarceration in jail or prison. Parental incarceration is associated with multiple risk factors for maladjustment, which may contribute to the increased likelihood of behavioral problems in this population. Few studies have examined early predictors of maladjustment among children with incarcerated parents, limiting scholars’ understanding about potential points for prevention and intervention. Emotion recognition skills may play a role in the development of maladjustment and may be amenable to intervention. The current study examined whether emotion recognition skills differed between 3- to 8-year-old children with and without jailed parents. We hypothesized that children with jailed parents would have a negative bias in processing emotions and less accuracy compared to children without incarcerated parents. Data were drawn from 128 families, including 75 children (53.3% male, M = 5.37 years) with jailed parents and 53 children (39.6% male, M = 5.02 years) without jailed parents. Caregivers in both samples provided demographic information. Children performed an emotion recognition task in which they were asked to produce a label for photos expressing six different emotions (i.e., happy, surprised, neutral, sad, angry, and fearful). For scoring, the number of positive and negative labels were totaled; the number of negative labels provided for neutral and positive stimuli were totaled (measuring negative bias/overextension of negative labels); and valence accuracy (i.e., positive, negative, and neutral) and label accuracy were calculated. Results indicated a main effect of parental incarceration on the number of positive labels provided; children with jailed parents presented significantly fewer positive emotions than the comparison group. There was also a main effect of parental incarceration on negative bias (the overextension of negative labels); children with

  13. Assessing Risk-Based Policies for Pretrial Release and Split Sentencing in Los Angeles County Jails

    PubMed Central

    Usta, Mericcan; Wein, Lawrence M.

    2015-01-01

    Court-mandated downsizing of the CA prison system has led to a redistribution of detainees from prisons to CA county jails, and subsequent jail overcrowding. Using data that is representative of the LA County jail system, we build a mathematical model that tracks the flow of individuals during arraignment, pretrial release or detention, case disposition, jail sentence, and possible recidivism during pretrial release, after a failure to appear in court, during non-felony probation and during felony supervision. We assess 64 joint pretrial release and split-sentencing (where low-level felon sentences are split between jail time and mandatory supervision) policies that are based on the type of charge (felony or non-felony) and the risk category as determined by the CA Static Risk Assessment tool, and compare their performance to that of the policy LA County used in early 2014, before split sentencing was in use. In our model, policies that offer split sentences to all low-level felons optimize the key tradeoff between public safety and jail congestion by, e.g., simultaneously reducing the rearrest rate by 7% and the mean jail population by 20% relative to the policy LA County used in 2014. The effectiveness of split sentencing is due to two facts: (i) convicted felony offenders comprised ≈ 45% of LA County’s jail population in 2014, and (ii) compared to pretrial release, split sentencing exposes offenders to much less time under recidivism risk per saved jail day. PMID:26714283

  14. Assessing Risk-Based Policies for Pretrial Release and Split Sentencing in Los Angeles County Jails.

    PubMed

    Usta, Mericcan; Wein, Lawrence M

    2015-01-01

    Court-mandated downsizing of the CA prison system has led to a redistribution of detainees from prisons to CA county jails, and subsequent jail overcrowding. Using data that is representative of the LA County jail system, we build a mathematical model that tracks the flow of individuals during arraignment, pretrial release or detention, case disposition, jail sentence, and possible recidivism during pretrial release, after a failure to appear in court, during non-felony probation and during felony supervision. We assess 64 joint pretrial release and split-sentencing (where low-level felon sentences are split between jail time and mandatory supervision) policies that are based on the type of charge (felony or non-felony) and the risk category as determined by the CA Static Risk Assessment tool, and compare their performance to that of the policy LA County used in early 2014, before split sentencing was in use. In our model, policies that offer split sentences to all low-level felons optimize the key tradeoff between public safety and jail congestion by, e.g., simultaneously reducing the rearrest rate by 7% and the mean jail population by 20% relative to the policy LA County used in 2014. The effectiveness of split sentencing is due to two facts: (i) convicted felony offenders comprised ≈ 45% of LA County's jail population in 2014, and (ii) compared to pretrial release, split sentencing exposes offenders to much less time under recidivism risk per saved jail day.

  15. Behind Bars: Experiences Conducting Behavioral Addictions Research in a County Jail.

    PubMed

    Hickey, Kari L; Kerber, Cindy; Astroth, Kim Schafer; Kim, MyoungJin; Schlenker, Emily

    2015-10-01

    Individuals who are incarcerated experience disparities in mental health, warranting study by nurse researchers. However, nurse researchers' unfamiliarity with the jail environment may pose a barrier to conducting research with this vulnerable population. The current article presents an account of the planning and implementation needed to study perceived health and gambling behavior in county jail inmates. The challenges and rewards of research that aim to better understand the mental health issues affecting this population are also identified. Developing relationships with jail personnel and understanding the incarcerated population and their surroundings are key to conducting research in this environment. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

  16. Diabetes Care in the San Francisco County Jail

    PubMed Central

    Clark, Brinton C.; Grossman, Ellie; White, Mary C.; Goldenson, Joe; Tulsky, Jacqueline Peterson

    2006-01-01

    Chronic disease management is becoming increasingly important in correctional settings, especially diabetes. We conducted a retrospective chart review of diabetic inmates in San Francisco County Jail and examined the sociodemographic characteristics, markers of disease status, and compliance with jail-specific care guidelines within this setting. We found high rates of compliance with immediate-term care guidelines (e.g., finger-stick glucose and blood pressure checks at intake) but less success in providing the more complex care required for chronic diseases. Inmates’ age, race, and gender did not affect likelihood of meeting guidelines. PMID:16873757

  17. Behind the Wheel and on the Map: Genetic and Environmental Associations between Drunk Driving and Other Externalizing Behaviors

    PubMed Central

    Quinn, Patrick D.; Harden, K. Paige

    2013-01-01

    Drunk driving, a major contributor to alcohol-related mortality, has been linked to a variety of other alcohol-related (e.g., Alcohol Dependence, early age at first drink) and non-alcohol-related externalizing behaviors. In a sample of 517 same-sex twin pairs from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, we examined three conceptualizations of the etiology of drunk driving in relation to other externalizing behaviors. A series of behavioral-genetic models found consistent evidence for drunk driving as a manifestation of genetic vulnerabilities toward a spectrum of alcohol-related and non-alcohol-related externalizing behaviors. Most notably, multidimensional scaling analyses produced a genetic “map” with drunk driving located near its center, supporting the strength of drunk driving’s genetic relations with a broad range of externalizing behaviors. In contrast, non-shared environmental associations with drunk driving were weaker and more diffuse. Drunk driving may be a manifestation of genetic vulnerabilities toward a broad externalizing spectrum. PMID:24128260

  18. Spitting in the Ocean: Realistic Expectations of the Impact of Driver Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Programs on the Problem of Drunk Driving.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Waller, Patricia F.

    Alcohol education and rehabilitation programs are widely accepted as an integral part of the enforcement of drunk driving laws; however, careful evaluations of these programs generally fail to show subsequent beneficial effects on traffic crashes. This fact is due in part to the many barriers to conducting sound program evaluations and in part to…

  19. Social Bond Theory and Drunk Driving in a Sample of College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Durkin, Keith F.; Wolfe, Scott E.; May, Ross W.

    2007-01-01

    This paper reports the finding from a study that examined the relationship between social bond variables and drunk driving in a sample of university students. A questionnaire containing indicators representing social bond variables, as well as a measure of drunk driving was administered to a sample of 1459 college students. The results of this…

  20. Axis I Screens and Suicide Risk in Jails: A Comparative Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harrison, Kimberly S.; Rogers, Richard

    2007-01-01

    Mental health professionals conducting screenings in jail settings face formidable challenges in identifying inmates at risk for major depression and suicide. Psychologists often rely on correctional staff to provide initial appraisals of those inmates requiring further evaluation. In a sample of 100 jail detainees, the effectiveness of two…

  1. Health information exchange between jails and their communities: a bridge that is needed under healthcare reform.

    PubMed

    Butler, Ben

    2014-01-01

    Jails have often been compared to islands because they are thought to be cut off from the community both physically and perceptually. Few people understand that besides being places of confinement, jails function as health care providers. The separation of jails from community results in disjointed health care services and treatment for individuals cycling in and out of jail. Healthcare providers in the community have little knowledge of the care their patients have received in jail; the same can be said of jail health providers about care provided in the community. With the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH), the federal government took the lead respectively in expanding health insurance coverage and in spurring the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) and the development of health information exchanges (HIEs). Taken together, these initiatives place a strong emphasis on promoting continuity of care. With the expansion of Medicaid under the ACA, many of the individuals leaving jail will have access to health insurance for the first time. Community-based providers to the newly insured will want to know about the care that was provided in the jail. The developing technological infrastructure would seem to offer the best way to access this information. However linking the community and jail information systems is not just a technological issue, but requires the cooperation of all stakeholders. one in which a single champion made the decision to link the jail health care system to the local HIE and the other where all stakeholders were included in the process. In the first case study, the jail healthcare system reverted to its "island" status when the HIE was abandoned without protest from community stakeholders. In the second case study, the multiple stakeholder approach, while not necessarily a complete guarantee of long-term success, ensured that the jail healthcare

  2. Health Information Exchange between Jails and Their Communities: A Bridge That Is Needed under Healthcare Reform

    PubMed Central

    Butler, Ben

    2014-01-01

    Jails have often been compared to islands because they are thought to be cut off from the community both physically and perceptually. Few people understand that besides being places of confinement, jails function as health care providers. The separation of jails from community results in disjointed health care services and treatment for individuals cycling in and out of jail. Healthcare providers in the community have little knowledge of the care their patients have received in jail; the same can be said of jail health providers about care provided in the community. With the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH), the federal government took the lead respectively in expanding health insurance coverage and in spurring the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) and the development of health information exchanges (HIEs). Taken together, these initiatives place a strong emphasis on promoting continuity of care. With the expansion of Medicaid under the ACA, many of the individuals leaving jail will have access to health insurance for the first time. Community-based providers to the newly insured will want to know about the care that was provided in the jail. The developing technological infrastructure would seem to offer the best way to access this information. However linking the community and jail information systems is not just a technological issue, but requires the cooperation of all stakeholders. This paper presents two case studies: one in which a single champion made the decision to link the jail health care system to the local HIE and the other where all stakeholders were included in the process. In the first case study, the jail healthcare system reverted to its “island” status when the HIE was abandoned without protest from community stakeholders. In the second case study, the multiple stakeholder approach, while not necessarily a complete guarantee of long

  3. Presence of psychoactive substances in oral fluid from randomly selected drivers in Denmark.

    PubMed

    Simonsen, K Wiese; Steentoft, A; Hels, T; Bernhoft, I M; Rasmussen, B S; Linnet, K

    2012-09-10

    This roadside study is the Danish part of the EU-project DRUID (Driving under the Influence of Drugs, Alcohol, and Medicines) and included three representative regions in Denmark. Oral fluid samples (n=3002) were collected randomly from drivers using a sampling scheme stratified by time, season, and road type. The oral fluid samples were screened for 29 illegal and legal psychoactive substances and metabolites as well as ethanol. Fourteen (0.5%) drivers were positive for ethanol (alone or in combination with drugs) at concentrations above 0.53g/l, which is the Danish legal limit. The percentage of drivers positive for medicinal drugs above the Danish legal concentration limit was 0.4%; while, 0.3% of the drivers tested positive for one or more illicit drug at concentrations exceeding the Danish legal limit. Tetrahydrocannabinol, cocaine, and amphetamine were the most frequent illicit drugs detected above the limit of quantitation (LOQ); while, codeine, tramadol, zopiclone, and benzodiazepines were the most frequent legal drugs. Middle aged men (median age 47.5 years) dominated the drunk driving group, while the drivers positive for illegal drugs consisted mainly of young men (median age 26 years). Middle aged women (median age 44.5 years) often tested positive for benzodiazepines at concentrations exceeding the legal limits. Interestingly, 0.6% of drivers tested positive for tramadol, at concentrations above the DRUID cut off; although, tramadol is not included in the Danish list of narcotic drugs. It can be concluded that driving under the influence of drugs is as serious a road safety problem as drunk driving. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

  4. Correlates of Heroin and Methamphetamine Use among Homeless Male Ex-Jail and Prison Offenders

    PubMed Central

    Nyamathi, Adeline; Salem, Benissa E.; Farabee, David; Hall, Elizabeth; Zhang, Sheldon; Marfisee, Mary; Khalilifard, Farinaz; Musto, Stefanie; Leake, Barbara

    2014-01-01

    Homeless men exiting California State jails and prisons are a heterogeneous community with varied childhood, incarceration and drug use histories. This cross-sectional study assessed whether homeless men who were discharged from either jail or prison into a residential substance abuse treatment program, differed in terms of methamphetamine and heroin use. This study utilized baseline data collected on 540 recently paroled men randomized to one of three programs that assessed the impact of a peer coaching intervention on subsequent drug use and re-incarceration. We found that younger ex-offenders exiting prisons and jails were more likely to have used methamphetamine alone, whereas African American ex-offenders were less likely to have used methamphetamine alone when compared to other ethnic groups. Further, ex-offenders exiting jails and self-reporting use of heroin only at baseline were significantly more likely than their counterparts to have been removed from home before age 18. For men exiting jails, there was an association between lower self-esteem and having used methamphetamine but not heroin. However, having used both heroin and methamphetamine was associated with both violent crime and cognitive problems in both jail and prison samples. Our findings showcase the need to understand unique correlates of both heroin and methamphetamine as they relate to jail and prison populations. PMID:25489295

  5. Prevalence of Childhood Sexual Abuse among Incarcerated Males in County Jail

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Regina J.; Ross, Michael W.; Taylor, Wendell C.; Williams, Mark L.; Carvajal, Raul I.; Peters, Ronald J.

    2006-01-01

    Objective: The current study examined the prevalence and characteristics of childhood sexual abuse in a jailed-based population. Methodology: A retrospective, self-reported survey was administered over an 8-week period to a random sample of 100 men who were incarcerated in a county jail in Southeastern Texas. The survey included questions about…

  6. An outbreak of Salmonella gastroenteritis in an urban jail.

    PubMed

    Alcabes, P; O'Sullivan, B; Nadal, E; Mouzon, M

    1988-12-01

    An outbreak of gastroenteritis in New York City's largest jail involved 145 cases over a two-month period. The outbreak was unusual in that two Salmonella strains (serogroups B and D) were involved. Management of the outbreak involved screening kitchen workers by culture of stool samples, and education regarding personal hygiene. Obstacles to investigation and management of the outbreak arose out of the special nature of the jail environment; these included jurisdictional problems and high turnover of the inmate population.

  7. Calling for Help? Considering Function and Meaning when Patients Drunk-Dial Psychotherapists

    PubMed Central

    Serafini, Kelly; LaPaglia, Donna; Steinfeld, Matthew

    2013-01-01

    Drunk-dialing is a term documented in both popular culture and academic literatures to describe a behavior in which a person contacts another individual by phone while intoxicated. In our collective clinical experience we have found that clients drunk-dial their clinicians too, particularly while in substance use treatment, and yet there is a noticeable absence of research on the topic to guide clinical decision-making within a process-based understanding of these events. As the parameters within which psychotherapy takes place become increasingly technologized, a literature base to document clients’ idiosyncratic use of technology will become increasingly necessary and useful. We provide a brief review of the existing research on drunk-dialing and conclude with specific questions to guide future research and practice. PMID:24023519

  8. Study protocol: Community Links to Establish Alcohol Recovery (CLEAR) for women leaving jail.

    PubMed

    Johnson, Jennifer E; Schonbrun, Yael Chatav; Anderson, Bradley; Kurth, Megan; Timko, Christine; Stein, Michael

    2017-04-01

    This article describes the protocol for a randomized effectiveness trial of a method to link alcohol use disordered women who are in pretrial jail detention with post-release 12-step mutual help groups. Jails serve 15 times more people per year than do prisons and have very short stays, posing few opportunities for treatment or treatment planning. Alcohol use is associated with poor post-jail psychosocial and health outcomes including sexually transmitted diseases and HIV, especially for women. At least weekly 12-step self-help group attendance in the months after release from jail has been associated with improvements in alcohol use and alcohol-related consequences. Linkage strategies improve 12-step attendance and alcohol outcomes among outpatients, but have not previously been tested in criminal justice populations. In the intervention condition, a 12-step volunteer meets once individually with an incarcerated woman while she is in jail and arranges to be in contact after release to accompany her to 12-step meetings. The control condition provides schedules for local 12-step meetings. Outcomes include percent days abstinent from alcohol (primary), 12-step meeting involvement, and fewer unprotected sexual occasions (secondary) after release from jail. We hypothesize that (Minton, 2015) 12-step involvement will mediate the intervention's effect on alcohol use, and (O'Brien, 2001) percent days abstinent will mediate the intervention's effect on STI/HIV risk-taking outcomes. Research methods accommodate logistical and philosophical hurdles including rapid turnover of commitments and unpredictable release times at the jail, possible post-randomization ineligibility due to sentencing, 12-step principles such as Nonaffiliation, and use of volunteers as interventionists. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Examining the impact of mental illness and substance use on recidivism in a county jail.

    PubMed

    Wilson, Amy Blank; Draine, Jeffrey; Hadley, Trevor; Metraux, Steve; Evans, Arthur

    2011-01-01

    This paper describes the recidivism patterns over a 4 year period for a cohort of people admitted to a large US urban jail system in 2003 and analyzes how these patterns vary based on presence of mental illness and substance abuse. Jail detention and behavioral health service records were merged for all admissions to a large urban jail system in 2003 (N=24,290). Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the recidivism patterns for people admitted to jail in 2003 (N=20,112) over a four year period. Recidivism patterns of people without mental illness or substance use disorders were compared with people with serious mental illness, substance abuse disorders, and dual diagnoses. These analyses found that over half of the people who returned to jail during the 4 year follow-up period did so in the first year. This finding did not differ by any diagnostic category. Analysis of the number of people readmitted to the jail found that people who had a diagnosis of mental illness alone had the lowest number of readmissions to jail in the 4 years after release with 50% having at least one readmission after their initial release. People with dual diagnoses, in contrast, had the highest number of readmissions to jail during the study time frame, with 68% having at least one readmission during the 4 years after release. Substance use is a driving force behind the recidivism of people with mental illness leaving a US urban jail. These findings illustrate the importance of developing interventions that provide timely access to intensive co-occurring substance abuse and mental health treatment during the immediate period after release that are capable of addressing both individual and environment factors that promote the return to drug use after release. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Examination of personality traits and social problem-solving skills of individuals whose driving licenses have been confiscated due to drunk driving.

    PubMed

    Taymur, Ibrahim; Budak, Ersin; Duyan, Veli; Kanat, Bilgen Biçer; Önen, Sinay

    2017-01-02

    Drunk driving is one of the major behavioral issues connected with problematic alcohol consumption. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between personality traits and social problem-solving skills of individuals who drive while intoxicated. One hundred forty-four individuals apprehended twice while driving drunk and sent to a driver behavior training program (9 females and 135 males) participated in our study. The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised-Abbreviated (EPQ-RA) composed of 4 subscales (Extroversion, Neuroticism, Psychoticism, and Lying) and the Social Problem Solving Inventory (SPSI) composed of 7 subscales (Cognitive, Emotion, Behavior, Problem Definition and Formulation, Creating Solution Options, Solution Implementation and Verification, and Decision Making) were used to evaluate the participants. A positive relationship was found between the Extroversion subscale of the EPQ-RA and the Cognition subscale (P <.01), Emotion subscale (P <.01), Behavior subscale (P <.01), Generation of Alternatives subscale (P <.01), Decision Making subscale (P <.05), and Solution Implementation and Verification subscale (P <.01). For individuals who repeated intoxicated driving, all subscales of the EPQ-RA (Extroversion, Lying, Neuroticism, and Psychoticism subscales) explained 12% of the scores of the Cognition subscale and 16.2% (P <.001) of the Emotion subscale of the SPSI. There was no significant relationship between the first and second incident alcohol blood levels (P >.05). Drinking and driving behaviors appear to be negative or maladaptive behaviors closely related to personality traits and may represent an effort to avoid negative emotions. Evaluation of negative emotions may have an important place in training programs intended to change drunk driving behavior.

  11. Modified jailed balloon technique for bifurcation lesions.

    PubMed

    Saito, Shigeru; Shishido, Koki; Moriyama, Noriaki; Ochiai, Tomoki; Mizuno, Shingo; Yamanaka, Futoshi; Sugitatsu, Kazuya; Tobita, Kazuki; Matsumi, Junya; Tanaka, Yutaka; Murakami, Masato

    2017-12-04

    We propose a new systematic approach in bifurcation lesions, modified jailed balloon technique (M-JBT), and report the first clinical experience. Side branch occlusion brings with a serious complication and occurs in more than 7.0% of cases during bifurcation stenting. A jailed balloon (JB) is introduced into the side branch (SB), while a stent is placed in the main branch (MB) as crossing SB. The size of the JB is half of the MB stent size. While the proximal end of JB attaching to MB stent, both stent and JB are simultaneously inflated with same pressure. JB is removed and then guidewires are recrossed. Kissing balloon dilatation (KBD) and/or T and protrusion (TAP) stenting are applied as needed. Between February 2015 and February 2016, 233 patients (254 bifurcation lesions including 54 left main trunk disease) underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using this technique. Procedure success was achieved in all cases. KBD was performed for 183 lesions and TAP stenting was employed for 31 lesions. Occlusion of SV was not observed in any of the patients. Bench test confirmed less deformity of MB stent in M-JBT compared with conventional-JBT. This is the first report for clinical experiences by using modified jailed balloon technique. This novel M-JBT is safe and effective in the preservation of SB patency during bifurcation stenting. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. Jail fever (epidemic typhus) outbreak in Burundi.

    PubMed

    Raoult, D; Roux, V; Ndihokubwayo, J B; Bise, G; Baudon, D; Marte, G; Birtles, R

    1997-01-01

    We recently investigated a suspected outbreak of epidemic typhus in a jail in Burundi. We tested sera of nine patients by microimmunofluorescence for antibodies to Rickettsia prowazekii and Rickettsia typhi. We also amplified and sequenced from lice gene portions specific for two R. prowazekii proteins: the gene encoding for citrate synthase and the gene encoding for the rickettsial outer membrane protein. All patients exhibited antibodies specific for R. prowazekii. Specific gene sequences were amplified in two lice from one patient. The patients had typical clinical manifestations, and two died. Molecular techniques provided a convenient and reliable means of examining lice and confirming this outbreak. The jail-associated outbreak predates an extensive ongoing outbreak of louse-borne typhus in central eastern Africa after civil war and in refugee camps in Rwanda, Burundi (1), and Zaire.

  13. Extended-release naltrexone opioid treatment at jail reentry (XOR)

    PubMed Central

    McDonald, Ryan D.; Tofighi, Babak; Laska, Eugene; Goldfeld, Keith; Bonilla, Wanda; Flannery, Mara; Santana-Correa, Nadina; Johnson, Christopher W.; Leibowitz, Neil; Rotrosen, John; Gourevitch, Marc N.; Lee, Joshua D.

    2017-01-01

    Background Extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX) is an injectable monthly sustained-release mu opioid receptor antagonist, which blocks the typical effects of heroin and other opioid agonists. Use of XR-NTX among opioid dependent persons leaving jails and prisons is increasing despite scant high-quality evidence regarding XR-NTX’s effectiveness at re-entry. Methods This 24-week, open-label randomized controlled trial examines the effectiveness of XR-NTX as opioid relapse prevention at release from jail (N = 85) compared to enhanced treatment as usual (ETAU, N = 85). A third, non-randomized, quasi-experimental naturalistic arm of participants who have newly initiated a jail-to-community methadone treatment program (MTP, N = 85) allows for comparisons to a methadone standard-of-care. Results We describe the rationale, design, and primary and secondary outcomes of the study. The primary outcome is an opioid relapse event; the primary contrast is a time-to-relapse comparison of XR-NTX and ETAU over a 24-week treatment phase. Secondary outcomes are rates of: (a) post-release opioid treatment participation, (b) opioid, alcohol, and cocaine use, (c) injection drug use and HIV sexual risk behaviors, (d) overdose (fatal and non-fatal) and all-cause mortality, and, (e) re-incarceration. Conclusions XR-NTX is a potentially important, effective treatment and relapse prevention option for a large US population of persons with opioid use disorders leaving jails. This study will estimate XR-NTX’s effectiveness relative to existing standards of care, including counseling-only treatment-as-usual and methadone maintenance. PMID:27178765

  14. JAIL: a structure-based interface library for macromolecules.

    PubMed

    Günther, Stefan; von Eichborn, Joachim; May, Patrick; Preissner, Robert

    2009-01-01

    The increasing number of solved macromolecules provides a solid number of 3D interfaces, if all types of molecular contacts are being considered. JAIL annotates three different kinds of macromolecular interfaces, those between interacting protein domains, interfaces of different protein chains and interfaces between proteins and nucleic acids. This results in a total number of about 184,000 database entries. All the interfaces can easily be identified by a detailed search form or by a hierarchical tree that describes the protein domain architectures classified by the SCOP database. Visual inspection of the interfaces is possible via an interactive protein viewer. Furthermore, large scale analyses are supported by an implemented sequential and by a structural clustering. Similar interfaces as well as non-redundant interfaces can be easily picked out. Additionally, the sequential conservation of binding sites was also included in the database and is retrievable via Jmol. A comprehensive download section allows the composition of representative data sets with user defined parameters. The huge data set in combination with various search options allow a comprehensive view on all interfaces between macromolecules included in the Protein Data Bank (PDB). The download of the data sets supports numerous further investigations in macromolecular recognition. JAIL is publicly available at http://bioinformatics.charite.de/jail.

  15. Jail fever (epidemic typhus) outbreak in Burundi.

    PubMed Central

    Raoult, D.; Roux, V.; Ndihokubwayo, J. B.; Bise, G.; Baudon, D.; Marte, G.; Birtles, R.

    1997-01-01

    We recently investigated a suspected outbreak of epidemic typhus in a jail in Burundi. We tested sera of nine patients by microimmunofluorescence for antibodies to Rickettsia prowazekii and Rickettsia typhi. We also amplified and sequenced from lice gene portions specific for two R. prowazekii proteins: the gene encoding for citrate synthase and the gene encoding for the rickettsial outer membrane protein. All patients exhibited antibodies specific for R. prowazekii. Specific gene sequences were amplified in two lice from one patient. The patients had typical clinical manifestations, and two died. Molecular techniques provided a convenient and reliable means of examining lice and confirming this outbreak. The jail-associated outbreak predates an extensive ongoing outbreak of louse-borne typhus in central eastern Africa after civil war and in refugee camps in Rwanda, Burundi (1), and Zaire. PMID:9284381

  16. Factors affecting jail detention of defendants adjudicated incompetent to proceed.

    PubMed

    Christy, Annette; Otto, Randy; Finch, Jacquelyn; Ringhoff, Daniel; Kimonis, Eva R

    2010-01-01

    The movement of defendants through the legal process who have been adjudicated incompetent to proceed is little studied, yet it is important. The purpose of this study was to provide empirical data regarding factors that affected the amount of time defendants adjudicated incompetent to proceed and ordered to undergo hospitalization remained in jail while awaiting transfer to a state hospital. Statewide data collected in Florida between July 2005 and June 2008 were used to determine the lengths of time incompetent defendants spent at certain stages in the legal process. The addition of forensic bed capacity following media attention and litigation resulted in a significant decrease in the amount of time defendants adjudicated incompetent to proceed waited in jail for transfer to a state hospital for treatment. The amount of time it took for completed commitment orders to be submitted to the state mental health authority by the Clerks of Court of each county accounted for a meaningful portion of days defendants spent in jail awaiting transfer to a state hospital, with considerable variation across counties with respect to waiting times. These findings reflect how various stakeholders can affect the amount of time defendants spend in jail while awaiting hospitalization. These issues are discussed in the context of controversy related to Florida's forensic mental health system, as well as issues related to the political process and funding of the state's mental health authority. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  17. The impact of policies promoting health information technology on health care delivery in jails and local communities.

    PubMed

    Butler, Ben; Murphy, Judy

    2014-03-01

    The 1976 Supreme Court decision in Estelle v. Gamble declared that jails must provide medical treatment to detainees consistent with community standards of care. Yet despite their important role providing health care to about ten million people a year, jails remain largely siloed from the surrounding health care community, compromising inmates' health and adding to health care spending. Health information technology promises solutions. The current policy landscape, shaped by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act and the Affordable Care Act, is favorable to jails' implementation of health information technology (IT). In this article we examine how decisions largely external to jails-coming from the Supreme Court, Congress, and local policy makers-have contributed to the growth of health IT within jails and health information exchange between jails and local communities. We also discuss privacy concerns under the Health Insurance Portability and Affordability Act and other legislation. This article highlights a rare confluence of events that could improve the health of an overlooked population.

  18. 77 FR 2325 - Solicitation for a Cooperative Agreement-Jail Resource Management: Review and Revision

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-01-17

    ...--Jail Resource Management: Review and Revision AGENCY: National Institute of Corrections, U.S... Corrections (NIC) is seeking applications for the revision of its Jail Resource Management training program...) development and presentation of a budget request to appropriate governing bodies, (5) budget management, and...

  19. The Development of a Brief Jail-Based Cervical Health Promotion Intervention

    PubMed Central

    Ramaswamy, Megha; Simmons, Rebekah; Kelly, Patricia J.

    2015-01-01

    The primary objective of this article was to describe the development and pilot implementation of a brief jail-based cervical health promotion intervention. The intervention was guided by a preliminary study of incarcerated women’s cervical health knowledge, awareness, and health literacy, as well as a social and feminist approach to intervention development. We developed and conducted a pilot implementation of the Sexual Health Empowerment Project to increase cervical health knowledge, reduce barriers related to beliefs about cervical cancer, and improve self-efficacy and confidence in navigating health systems. This article offers a framework for how empirically and theory-based interventions are developed and tailored for a jail setting. Future work should include the evaluation of the long-term effects of such a disease-specific program on health behaviors and outcomes among high-risk and vulnerable groups of women as they leave jails and enter communities. PMID:25063589

  20. Gossiping in Jail

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Miller, Avery

    Consider a set of prisoners that want to gossip with one another, and suppose that these prisoners are located at fixed locations (e.g., in jail cells) along a corridor. Each prisoner has a way to broadcast messages (e.g. by voice or contraband radio) with transmission radius R and interference radius R' ≥ R. We study synchronous algorithms for this problem (that is, prisoners are allowed to speak at regulated intervals) including two restricted subclasses. We prove exact upper and lower bounds on the gossiping completion time for all three classes. We demonstrate that each restriction placed on the algorithm results in decreasing performance.

  1. The community reintegration project: occupational therapy at work in a county jail.

    PubMed

    Eggers, Mila; Muñoz, Jaime Phillip; Sciulli, John; Crist, Patricia Ann Hickerson

    2006-01-01

    The incarcerated population in U.S jails has more than doubled in the last thirty years while prison populations have quintupled. Over half of those released from incarceration return to correctional systems within one year of release. One of the reasons for these high rates of recidivism is that many inmates lack the community living skills necessary for community reintegration. Successful community reintegration for ex-offenders requires a skill set that occupational therapists have long addressed in their domain of practice. Compared to practitioners in the United Kingdom and Australia, U.S. practitioners have been slow to develop occupational therapy programming in correctional settings. This article describes a community reintegration program for jail inmates built through a collaborative partnership between a university occupational therapy program, community non-profit organizations and a county jail.

  2. Health care in jails: a unique challenge in medical practice.

    PubMed

    Lessenger, J E

    1982-09-01

    Prisoners deserve to be taken seriously and treated with respect by the physician, as does any person seeking medical care. Treatment should include an adequate history and physical examination as well as indicated laboratory tests. Anxiety is a ubiquitous problem in prison life and can adversely affect any medical condition. The diagnosis of malingering is and should be one of exclusion, and the physician should keep in mind that a seemingly healthy prisoner might have several other reasons for seeking medical help. The physician needs to be confident of the diagnosis before returning the person to the cell block, as prisoners do not have freedom of access to medical care. New standards, programs, literature, journals, and conferences have drawn attention to the jail as a place where the physician can intervene in a positive way to decrease the recycling of crime and illness. It is not enough to be able to practice good medicine in a jail. Such practice must recognize the special needs of prisoners and the special problems inherent in the jail environment.

  3. Impact of an after-hours on-call emergency physician on ambulance transports from a county jail.

    PubMed

    Chan, Theodore C; Vilke, Gary M; Smith, Sue; Sparrow, William; Dunford, James V

    2003-01-01

    The authors sought to determine if the availability of an after-hours on-call emergency physician by telephone for consultation to the staff at a county jail would safely reduce ambulance emergency department (ED) transport of inmates in the community. The authors conducted a prospective comparison study during the first ten months of an emergency physician on-call program for the county jail in which prospective data were collected on all consultations, including reason for call and disposition (ambulance, deputy, or no ED transport of inmate). They compared this time with a similar period a year before the program in terms of total ambulance transports from the jail. They also reviewed all hospital and jail medical records to assess for any adverse consequences within one month, or subsequent ambulance transport within 24 hours as a result of inmate care after the consultation call. Total after-hours ambulance transports from the jail decreased significantly from 30.3 transports/month (95% confidence interval [CI], 21.0-39.6) to 9.1 transports/month (95% CI, 4.1-14.0) (p < 0.05). The most common reasons for consultation calls were chest pain (16%), trauma (15%), and abnormal laboratory or radiology results (14%). Of all calls, only 30% resulted in ambulance transport to the ED. On review of records, no adverse outcome or subsequent ambulance transport was identified. The initiation of an on-call emergency physician program for after-hours consultation to jail nursing and law enforcement staff safely reduced ambulance transports from a county jail with no adverse outcomes identified.

  4. The development of a brief jail-based cervical health promotion intervention.

    PubMed

    Ramaswamy, Megha; Simmons, Rebekah; Kelly, Patricia J

    2015-05-01

    The primary objective of this article was to describe the development and pilot implementation of a brief jail-based cervical health promotion intervention. The intervention was guided by a preliminary study of incarcerated women's cervical health knowledge, awareness, and health literacy, as well as a social and feminist approach to intervention development. We developed and conducted a pilot implementation of the Sexual Health Empowerment Project to increase cervical health knowledge, reduce barriers related to beliefs about cervical cancer, and improve self-efficacy and confidence in navigating health systems. This article offers a framework for how empirically and theory-based interventions are developed and tailored for a jail setting. Future work should include the evaluation of the long-term effects of such a disease-specific program on health behaviors and outcomes among high-risk and vulnerable groups of women as they leave jails and enter communities. © 2014 Society for Public Health Education.

  5. Psychiatric and substance abuse disorders among male urban jail detainees.

    PubMed Central

    Teplin, L A

    1994-01-01

    This paper presents prevalence rates by race/ethnicity and age for nine psychiatric and substance use disorders found in a random sample of 728 male jail detainees. Two thirds of the sample detainees had had a disorder other than antisocial personality during their lifetimes; half of these had had an episode within 2 weeks of the interview. More than 30% currently had either a severe mental disorder or a substance use disorder. Detainees with severe mental disorders or substance use disorders were most often in jail because they had committed nonviolent crimes. Policy implications of the results are discussed. PMID:8296957

  6. Smoke-Free Policies in U.S. Prisons and Jails: A Review of the Literature

    PubMed Central

    Kennedy, Sara M.; Davis, Shane P.; Thorne, Stacy L.

    2015-01-01

    Introduction Despite progress in limiting exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) in the United States, little is known about the impact of smoke-free polices in prisons and jails. SHS exposure in this setting may be great, as smoking prevalence among inmates is more than three times higher than among non-incarcerated adults. To inform the implementation of smoke-free policies, this article reviews the literature on the extent, nature, and impact of smoke-free policies in U.S. prisons and jails. Methods We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, EconLit, and Social Services Abstracts databases. We examined studies published prior to January 2014 that described policies prohibiting smoking tobacco in adult U.S. correctional facilities. Results Twenty-seven studies met inclusion criteria. Smoke-free policies in prisons were rare in the 1980s but, by 2007, 87% prohibited smoking indoors. Policies reduced SHS exposure and a small body of evidence suggests they are associated with health benefits. We did not identify any studies documenting economic outcomes. Non-compliance with policies was documented in a small number of prisons and jails, with 20%–76% of inmates reporting smoking in violation of a policy. Despite barriers, policies were implemented successfully when access to contraband tobacco was limited and penalties were enforced. Conclusion Smoke-free policies have become increasingly common in prisons and jails, but evidence suggests they are not consistently implemented. Future studies should examine the health and economic outcomes of smoke-free policies in prisons and jails. By implementing smoke-free policies, prisons and jails have an opportunity to improve the health of staff and inmates. PMID:25475088

  7. A Green Prison: The Santa Rita Jail Campus Microgrid

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Marnay, Chris; DeForest, Nicholas; Lai, Judy

    2012-01-22

    A large microgrid project is nearing completion at Alameda County’s twenty-two-year-old 45 ha 4,000-inmate Santa Rita Jail, about 70 km east of San Francisco. Often described as a green prison, it has a considerable installed base of distributed energy resources (DER) including an eight-year old 1.2 MW PV array, a five-year old 1 MW fuel cell with heat recovery, and considerable efficiency investments. A current US$14 M expansion adds a 2 MW-4 MWh Li-ion battery, a static disconnect switch, and various controls upgrades. During grid blackouts, or when conditions favor it, the Jail can now disconnect from the grid andmore » operate as an island, using the on-site resources described together with its back-up diesel generators. In other words, the Santa Rita Jail is a true microgrid, or μgrid, because it fills both requirements, i.e. it is a locally controlled system, and it can operate both grid connected and islanded. The battery’s electronics includes Consortium for Electric Reliability Technology (CERTS) Microgrid technology. This enables the battery to maintain energy balance using droops without need for a fast control system.« less

  8. The impact of changes in psychiatric bed supply on jail use by persons with severe mental illness.

    PubMed

    Yoon, Jangho; Domino, Marisa E; Norton, Edward C; Cuddeback, Gary S; Morrissey, Joseph P

    2013-06-01

    There is an on-going concern that reductions in psychiatric inpatient bed capacity beyond a critical threshold will further exacerbate the incarceration of persons with mental illness. However, research to date to assess the proposed relationship between inpatient bed capacity and jail use has been limited in several ways. In addition, mechanisms through which changes in psychiatric bed capacity may affect jail use by persons with mental illness remain unexamined empirically. The aim of this study is to test whether changes in inpatient psychiatric resources, measured by per-capita psychiatric beds, inversely affect the likelihood of jail use by persons with severe mental illness. We also examine mechanisms that link psychiatric bed supply and jail detention. We analyze unique individual-level panel data on 41,236 adults in King County, Washington who were users of jails, the public mental health system, or the Medicaid program from 1993 to 1998. Using administrative records, we identify persons ever diagnosed with severe mental illness during the study period. Our analyses build upon a system of simultaneous equations that captures mechanisms from changes in psychiatric bed supply to jail detention. We estimate a reduced-form model and calculate the total effect of a shift in psychiatric bed supply on the likelihood of jail use by persons with severe mental illness. We also estimate a semi-reduced-form equation to examine whether changes in mental health and substance use mediate the relationship between bed supply and jail detention. We estimate linear probability models with person-level fixed effects to control for individual heterogeneity. Standard errors are adjusted for intra-cluster correlations. When an equation includes an endogenous variable, we calculate generalized method of moments estimators with instrumental variables. A decrease in the supply of psychiatric hospital beds is significantly associated with a greater probability of jail detention for

  9. A novel side branch protection technique in coronary stent implantation: Jailed Corsair technique.

    PubMed

    Numasawa, Yohei; Sakakura, Kenichi; Yamamoto, Kei; Yamamoto, Shingo; Taniguchi, Yousuke; Fujita, Hideo; Momomura, Shin-Ichi

    2017-06-01

    Side branch occlusion, which was one of the common complications in percutaneous coronary interventions, was closely associated with cardiac death and myocardial infarction. Clinical guidelines also support the importance of preservation of physiologic blood flow in SB during PCI to bifurcation lesions. In order to avoid side branch occlusion during stent implantation, we often performed the jailed wire technique, in which a conventional guide wire was inserted to the side branch before stent implantation to the main vessel. However, the jailed wire technique could not always prevent side branch occlusion. In this case report, we described a case of 72-year-old male suffering from angina pectoris. Coronary angiography revealed the diffuse calcified stenosis in the proximal and middle of left anterior descending coronary artery, and the large diagonal branch originated from the middle of the stenosis. To prevent side branch occlusion, we performed a novel side branch protection technique by using the Corsair microcatheter (Asahi Intecc, Nagoya, Japan). In this case report, we illustrated this "Jailed Corsair technique", and discussed the advantage compared to other side branch protection techniques such as the jailed balloon technique. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Pseudo-drunk-patron evaluation of bar-staff compliance with Western Australian liquor law.

    PubMed

    Rydon, P; Stockwell, T; Lang, E; Beel, A

    1996-06-01

    Compliance of bar staff with the Western Australian liquor law prohibiting service to drunk patrons was assessed through the deployment of actors trained to behave in a drunken manner. The serving practices of 23 licensed premises (19 hotels and four nightclubs) were examined. During 120 visits to hotel and nightclub bars, more than 350 drink orders were placed by pairs of pseudo-drunk actors who ordered up to three drinks each on each visit. On placing these drink orders, pseudo-drunks were refused service by bar staff on only 12 occasions. The rate of refusal of service across all premises was 10 per cent of visits. Partial interventions by servers, such as offering food or low-alcohol or nonalcoholic drinks, occurred in only four instances of the 120 visits. Qualitative observations and results obtained from a separate study examining a subsample of the servers who trained in responsible service of alcohol are discussed.

  11. Writing in Jail: A Chance for Reflection

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cowser, Robert

    2003-01-01

    The author describes his experience teaching a writing group in Martin Tennessee jail. The faces of most of the inmates showed curiosity. Each was saying not in words, but by gesture, "help make better this boring existence." The first essays the inmates wrote were about themselves and other members of their family. Some have written…

  12. Re-education of young driving offenders: effects on self-reports of driver behavior.

    PubMed

    af Wåhlberg, A E

    2010-08-01

    Offending drivers are often re-educated, but these courses have seldom been shown to have any safety effects. An on-line improvement course for offending drivers below the age of 25 was evaluated with several driver inventories. The drivers reported higher levels of aggression, stress, sensation seeking, drunk driving, and driving violations, six months after the course than before. However, these levels were lower than those of controls, indicating that the initially low levels for the education group were due to socially desirable responding, as measured by a lie scale, an effect that waned after the course. The results can be interpreted as a positive effect of the education, although this conclusion is tentative and not in agreement with all effects in the data. The results are in disagreement with previous evaluation studies using the same or similar instruments, and show the need to include controls for social desirability in self-report studies. 2010 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. The validity of open-source data when assessing jail suicides.

    PubMed

    Thomas, Amanda L; Scott, Jacqueline; Mellow, Jeff

    2018-05-09

    The Bureau of Justice Statistics' Deaths in Custody Reporting Program is the primary source for jail suicide research, though the data is restricted from general dissemination. This study is the first to examine whether jail suicide data obtained from publicly available sources can help inform our understanding of this serious public health problem. Of the 304 suicides that were reported through the DCRP in 2009, roughly 56 percent (N = 170) of those suicides were identified through the open-source search protocol. Each of the sources was assessed based on how much information was collected on the incident and the types of variables available. A descriptive analysis was then conducted on the variables that were present in both data sources. The four variables present in each data source were: (1) demographic characteristics of the victim, (2) the location of occurrence within the facility, (3) the location of occurrence by state, and (4) the size of the facility. Findings demonstrate that the prevalence and correlates of jail suicides are extremely similar in both open-source and official data. However, for almost every variable measured, open-source data captured as much information as official data did, if not more. Further, variables not found in official data were identified in the open-source database, thus allowing researchers to have a more nuanced understanding of the situational characteristics of the event. This research provides support for the argument in favor of including open-source data in jail suicide research as it illustrates how open-source data can be used to provide additional information not originally found in official data. In sum, this research is vital in terms of possible suicide prevention, which may be directly linked to being able to manipulate environmental factors.

  14. What do you mean "drunk"? Convergent validation of multiple methods of mapping alcohol expectancy memory networks.

    PubMed

    Reich, Richard R; Ariel, Idan; Darkes, Jack; Goldman, Mark S

    2012-09-01

    The configuration and activation of memory networks have been theorized as mechanisms that underlie the often observed link between alcohol expectancies and drinking. A key component of this network is the expectancy "drunk." The memory network configuration of "drunk" was mapped by using cluster analysis of data gathered from the paired-similarities task (PST) and the Alcohol Expectancy Multi-Axial Assessment (AEMAX). A third task, the free associates task (FA), assessed participants' strongest alcohol expectancy associates and was used as a validity check for the cluster analyses. Six hundred forty-seven 18-19-year-olds completed these measures and a measure of alcohol consumption at baseline assessment for a 5-year longitudinal study. For both the PST and AEMAX, "drunk" clustered with mainly negative and sedating effects (e.g., "sick," "dizzy," "sleepy") in lighter drinkers and with more positive and arousing effects (e.g., "happy," "horny," "outgoing") in heavier drinkers, showing that the cognitive organization of expectancies reflected drinker type (and might influence the choice to drink). Consistent with the cluster analyses, in participants who gave "drunk" as an FA response, heavier drinkers rated the word as more positive and arousing than lighter drinkers. Additionally, gender did not account for the observed drinker-type differences. These results support the notion that for some emerging adults, drinking may be linked to what they mean by the word "drunk." PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved.

  15. Prevalence and Predictors of Mental/Emotional Distress Among HIV+ Jail Detainees at Enrollment in an Observational Study

    PubMed Central

    Lincoln, Thomas; Simon-Levine, Dominique; Smith, JuliAnna; Donenberg, Geri R.; Springer, Sandra A.; Zaller, Nickolas; Altice, Frederick L.; Moore, Kevin; Jordan, Alison O.; Draine, Jeffrey; Desabrais, Maureen

    2015-01-01

    This study evaluates the prevalence of mental/emotional distress and its specific correlates among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in 20 jail systems across the United States. Of the 878 PLWHA jail detainees, 52% had high levels of mental/emotional distress, defined by the composite Addiction Severity Index score. High mental/emotional distress was found to be associated with the inmate living in a city with lower income inequality, lower health ranking, and higher degree of danger. Proximate variables included being female, bisexual orientation, poorer physical health, and increased severity of substance abuse. Inmates in jails with accredited health services and those satisfied with family support had lower mental/emotional distress scores. These findings indicate the need for expanded mental health assessment of PLWHAs entering jail. PMID:25788608

  16. The contribution of a urine-based jail screening program to citywide male Chlamydia and gonorrhea case rates in New York City.

    PubMed

    Pathela, Preeti; Hennessy, Robin R; Blank, Susan; Parvez, Farah; Franklin, Woodman; Schillinger, Julia A

    2009-02-01

    With noninvasive specimen types, males can be more easily screened for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections. Long-standing universal screening of males attending New York City (NYC) sexually transmitted diseases (STD) clinics has yielded a substantial number of chlamydia cases. In 2005, screening was expanding to another large group at high risk for STD: males jails. Surveillance data and data from laboratory practice surveys were examined to evaluate changes in the reported burden of chlamydia and gonorrhea in NYC males over time. Citywide data for male chlamydia and gonorrhea cases were analyzed by report year and provider type (STD clinic, adult jail, juvenile detention, private-sector provider) from 2004 through 2006. In the first year of the adult jail screening program, the number of chlamydia cases among males jails increased by 1636%, surpassing all other providers in numbers of cases contributed, and increasing the citywide reported male chlamydia case rate by 59%. Adult jails reported 40% more cases than all 10 NYC public STD clinics combined. In 2006, adult jails continued to contribute a similar proportion to citywide male chlamydia case reports. In the first year of the jail screening program, there was an approximately 10-fold increase in the number of gonorrhea cases reported from jails. Young men in adult jails have a large burden of chlamydial infection. Correctional screening and treatment programs present an important opportunity to improve the health of inmates and interrupt disease transmission.

  17. Drinking to Get Drunk among Incoming Freshmen College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boekeloo, Bradley O.; Novik, Melinda G.; Bush, Elizabeth N.

    2011-01-01

    Background: The consumption of alcohol is ubiquitous on many college and university campuses. For some freshmen students, drinking may even be considered a "right of passage." Purpose: This study examined college freshmen who intentionally drink alcohol to get drunk (DTGD). Methods: Survey data from 307 incoming freshmen college students living in…

  18. Where love flies free: women, home, and writing in Cook County Jail.

    PubMed

    Stanford, Ann Folwell

    2005-01-01

    Several definitions of "home," drawn from dozens provided by the Oxford Dictionary of the English Language, underscore how a large urban county jail becomes many forms of home for the women detainees there. Drawing on the women's poetry and the mechanics of creative writing workshops facilitated by the author for the last seven years at Cook County Jail, this essay describes some of the realities of the criminal (in)justice system and how the women's writing becomes a way of writing against the grain of official discourse, thus altering certain definitions of this "home."

  19. Parenting While Incarcerated: Tailoring the Strengthening Families Program for Use with Jailed Mothers.

    PubMed

    Miller, Alison L; Weston, Lauren E; Perryman, Jamie; Horwitz, Talia; Franzen, Susan; Cochran, Shirley

    2014-09-01

    Most incarcerated women are mothers. Parenting programs may benefit women, children and families, yet effectively intervening in correctional settings is a challenge. An evidence-based parenting intervention (the Strengthening Families Program) was tailored and implemented with women in a jail setting. Goals were to assess mothers' needs and interests regarding parenting while they were incarcerated, adapt the program to address those needs, and establish intervention delivery and evaluation methods in collaboration with a community-based agency. Women reported wanting to know more about effective communication; how children manage stress; finances; drug and alcohol use; self-care; and stress reduction. They reported high program satisfaction and reported reduced endorsement of corporal punishment after the intervention. Barriers to implementation included unpredictable attendance from session to session due to changing release dates, transfer to other facilities, and jail policies (e.g., lock-down; commissary hours). Implications for sustainable implementation of parenting programs in jail settings are discussed.

  20. Parenting While Incarcerated: Tailoring the Strengthening Families Program for Use with Jailed Mothers

    PubMed Central

    Miller, Alison L.; Weston, Lauren E.; Perryman, Jamie; Horwitz, Talia; Franzen, Susan; Cochran, Shirley

    2015-01-01

    Most incarcerated women are mothers. Parenting programs may benefit women, children and families, yet effectively intervening in correctional settings is a challenge. An evidence-based parenting intervention (the Strengthening Families Program) was tailored and implemented with women in a jail setting. Goals were to assess mothers' needs and interests regarding parenting while they were incarcerated, adapt the program to address those needs, and establish intervention delivery and evaluation methods in collaboration with a community-based agency. Women reported wanting to know more about effective communication; how children manage stress; finances; drug and alcohol use; self-care; and stress reduction. They reported high program satisfaction and reported reduced endorsement of corporal punishment after the intervention. Barriers to implementation included unpredictable attendance from session to session due to changing release dates, transfer to other facilities, and jail policies (e.g., lock-down; commissary hours). Implications for sustainable implementation of parenting programs in jail settings are discussed. PMID:26612963

  1. "Sukoon": Drama and Discovery in an Indian Jail

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Telang, Meghana; Starkman, Meredith

    2017-01-01

    In March 2017, Meredith Starkman and Meghana Telang, in collaboration with Khula Aasman Trust, entered a women's jail in Mumbai, India, to facilitate a drama workshop focused on the foundations of theatre performance. This article records their experience and the hurdles they faced, from unwilling participants to the height of Mumbai's sweltering…

  2. Data-driven human rights: using the electronic health record to promote human rights in jail.

    PubMed

    Glowa-Kollisch, Sarah; Andrade, Kelly; Stazesky, Richard; Teixeira, Paul; Kaba, Fatos; Macdonald, Ross; Rosner, Zachary; Selling, Daniel; Parsons, Amanda; Venters, Homer

    2014-06-14

    The electronic health record (EHR) is a commonplace innovation designed to promote efficiency, quality, and continuity of health services. In the New York City jail system, we implemented an EHR across 12 jails between 2008 and 2011. During the same time, our work increasingly focused on the importance of human rights as an essential element to the provision of medical and mental health care for our patients. Consequently, we made major modifications to the EHR to allow for better surveillance of vulnerable populations and enable reporting and analysis of patterns of abuse, neglect, and other patient concerns related to human rights. These modifications have improved our ability to find and care for patients injured in jail and those with mental health exacerbations. More work is needed, however, to optimize the potential of the EHR as a tool to promote human rights among patients in jail. Copyright © 2014 Sheffield, Durante, Rahona, and Zarcadoolas. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/), which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

  3. Adult correlates of early behavioral maladjustment: a study of injured drivers.

    PubMed

    Ryb, Gabriel; Dischinger, Patricia; Smith, Gordon; Soderstrom, Carl

    2008-10-01

    To establish whether a history of school suspension (HSS) predicts adult driver behavior. 323 injured drivers were interviewed as part of a study of psychoactive substance use disorders (PSUD) and injury. Drivers with a HSS were compared to those without HSS in relation to demographics, SES, PSUD, risky behaviors, trauma history and driving history using student's t test and chi-square. Multiple logistic regression models were constructed to adjust for demographics, SES and PSUD. HSS drivers represented 31% of the population and were younger, more likely to be male and had higher rates of alcohol and drug dependence than drivers without HSS. Educational achievement was worse for drivers with HSS. Drivers with HSS were more likely to have a history of prior vehicular trauma and assault. Seat-belt non-use, drinking and driving, riding with drunk driver, binge drinking, driving fast for the thrill, license suspension and drinking and driving convictions were more common among drivers with HSS. In multiple logistic regression models adjusting for demographics and SES, HSS revealed higher odds ratios for the same outcomes. After adding PSUD to the models HSS remained significant only for seat belt non use, binge drinking and previous assault history. HSS is associated with risky behaviors, repeated vehicular injury, and poor driver history. The association with driver history, however, disappears when PSUD are included in the models. The association of HSS (a marker of early behavioral maladjustment) with behavioral risks suggests that undiagnosed psychopathology may be linked to injury recidivism.

  4. Hepatitis C Virus Testing and Linkage to Care in North Carolina and South Carolina Jails, 2012–2014

    PubMed Central

    Smith, Bryce D.; Seña, Arlene C.; Hilton, Alison; Bachman, Sallie; Lunda, Mulamba; Spaulding, Anne C.

    2016-01-01

    Objective We evaluated a hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing and linkage-to-care post-release program among detainees of small- to medium-sized jails in North Carolina and South Carolina as part of the Hepatitis Testing and Linkage to Care initiative. Methods An HCV testing and linkage-to-care program was implemented in selected jails in North Carolina and South Carolina from December 2012 to March 2014. Health-care workers not affiliated with the jails conducted HCV antibody (anti-HCV) and HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA) testing and linkage-to-care activities. The North Carolina jail provided universal opt-out testing for HCV; South Carolina jails initially targeted high-risk individuals before expanding to routine testing. Results Of 669 detainees tested for HCV in North Carolina, 88 (13.2%) tested anti-HCV positive, of whom 81 (92.0%) received an HCV RNA test, 66 (81.5%) of whom tested HCV RNA positive (i.e., currently infected). Of the 66 detainees with current HCV infection, 18 were referred to HCV medical care post-release and 10 attended their first appointment. Of 224 detainees tested for HCV in South Carolina, 18 (8.0%) tested anti-HCV positive, of whom 13 received an HCV RNA test. Nine of 13 detainees tested HCV RNA positive, seven detainees were referred to post-release medical care, and two detainees attended their first appointment. Overall, 106 of 893 (11.9%) detainees were anti-HCV positive. Conclusion This study demonstrated that HCV testing, identification of infection, and linkage to care are feasible among jail populations. The rate of anti-HCV positivity was lower than that found in national studies of incarcerated populations, suggesting that HCV infection prevalence in jails may vary across U.S. states or regions. PMID:27168668

  5. How should I treat a patient to remove a fractured jailed side branch wire?

    PubMed

    Owens, Colum G; Spence, Mark S

    2011-08-01

    A 53-year-old female was sent for diagnostic angiography after successful reperfusion therapy for an anterior ST-elevation myocardial infarct. The culprit lesion was a LAD/D1 bifurcation stenosis. Coronary angiography, intravascular ultrasound. Left anterior descending artery/first diagonal artery bifurcation stenosis, fractured jailed side branch wire. Provisional stenting strategy for bifurcation stenosis. Consideration of surgical and percutaneous options to retrieve fractured, jailed, side branch wire. Wire and balloon catheter wrap technique for retrieval of fractured wire.

  6. Conversations about Jail: Inclusive Settings for Critical Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCloskey, Erin

    2012-01-01

    This article explores how a preschool writing community in an inclusive classroom provided the space for children to enact a critical literacy stance when they reconceptualized jail from being a place where "bad" people are taken to a place that people are sometimes placed because they perform acts of social justice. This case study highlights how…

  7. Education in Rural County Jails: Need versus Opportunity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gee, Jeremiah

    2006-01-01

    An action research project was undertaken by a GED instructor at a rural county jail. A survey tool was developed to determine if the perceived needs of the students were being met by the educational and rehabilitative programs currently offered to them. Data from the survey were grouped into four domains: perceived inmate need, attitude toward…

  8. STD testing policies and practices in U.S. city and county jails.

    PubMed

    Parece, M S; Herrera, G A; Voigt, R F; Middlekauff, S L; Irwin, K L

    1999-09-01

    Studies have shown that sexually transmitted disease (STD) rates are high in the incarcerated population. However, little is known about STD testing policies or practices in jails. To assess STD testing policies and practices in jails. The Division of STD Prevention developed and distributed an e-mail survey to 94 counties reporting more than 40 primary and secondary cases in 1996 or having cities with more than 200,000 persons. State and local STD program managers completed the assessment in collaboration with health departments and the main jail facilities in the selected counties. Most facilities (52-77%) had a policy for STD screening based only on symptoms or by arrestee request, and in these facilities, 0.2% to 6% of arrestees were tested. Facilities having a policy of offering routine testing tested only 3% to 45% of arrestees. Large facilities, facilities using public providers, and facilities routinely testing for syphilis using Stat RPR tested significantly more arrestees (P<0.05). Approximately half of the arrestees were released within 48 hours after intake, whereas 45% of facilities did not have STD testing results until after 48 hours. Most facilities had a policy for STD screening based only on symptoms or by arrestee request. Facilities having a policy of routine STD testing are not testing most of the arrestees. There is a small window (<48 hours) for STD testing and treatment before release. Smaller jails and facilities using private providers may need additional resources to increase STD testing levels. Correctional facilities should be considered an important setting for STD public health intervention where routine rapid STD screening and treatment on-site could be implemented.

  9. Professional orientation and pluralistic ignorance among jail correctional officers.

    PubMed

    Cook, Carrie L; Lane, Jodi

    2014-06-01

    Research about the attitudes and beliefs of correctional officers has historically been conducted in prison facilities while ignoring jail settings. This study contributes to our understanding of correctional officers by examining the perceptions of those who work in jails, specifically measuring professional orientations about counseling roles, punitiveness, corruption of authority by inmates, and social distance from inmates. The study also examines whether officers are accurate in estimating these same perceptions of their peers, a line of inquiry that has been relatively ignored. Findings indicate that the sample was concerned about various aspects of their job and the management of inmates. Specifically, officers were uncertain about adopting counseling roles, were somewhat punitive, and were concerned both with maintaining social distance from inmates and with an inmate's ability to corrupt their authority. Officers also misperceived the professional orientation of their fellow officers and assumed their peer group to be less progressive than they actually were.

  10. Art Education in a Jail Setting: A Personal Perspective.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Congdon, Kristin G.

    1984-01-01

    Teaching art to female prisoners at the Milwaukee (Wisconsin) County Jail gave them a new method of communicating with each other and with the outside world. Despite the difficulties of working within a maximum security prison, there was an atmosphere of sharing among the inmates and between teacher and students. (IS)

  11. Temperament, insecure attachment, impulsivity, and sexuality in women in jail.

    PubMed

    Iliceto, Paolo; Pompili, Maurizio; Candilera, Gabriella; Rosafio, Iole; Erbuto, Denise; Battuello, Michele; Lester, David; Girardi, Paolo

    2012-03-01

    Women constitute only a small proportion of inmates, but several studies have shown that they have higher rates of psychiatric disturbance than incarcerated men and community samples. Mental health treatment is necessary to prevent severe illness and suicide in these women. The convenience sample consisted of 40 female detainees and 40 controls who were administered self-report questionnaires to assess temperament (TEMPS-A), insecure attachment (ECR), impulsivity (BIS-11), and sexual behavior (SESAMO). The incarcerated women had higher levels of affective temperament (except for hyperthymia), avoidance, anxiety, impulsivity, and psychosexual issues than the female community sample. Many interrelated emotional and affective disturbances affect the physical and psychological well-being of women in jail, and it is possible that these problems may lead to suicide. Health professionals need to develop gender-specific therapeutic interventions for women in jail. © 2012 International Association of Forensic Nurses.

  12. An Experimental Investigation of Drunk Personality Using Self and Observer Reports

    PubMed Central

    Winograd, Rachel P.; Steinley, Douglas; Lane, Sean P.; Sher, Kenneth J.

    2017-01-01

    Across various cultures there are robust stereotypes regarding how alcohol intoxication alters individuals’ normative personalities. However, whether these stereotypes are rooted in genuine average effects or in salient, socially-proliferated exemplars remain unclear. The current study tested if differences between sober and intoxicated personality expression can be observed reliably by trained raters during a drinking episode. Participants (N = 156), half of whom received alcohol, attended laboratory sessions in same-gender friend groups and engaged in activities designed to elicit a range of personality expression. Participants completed self-reports of their “typical” sober and drunk personalities two weeks prior to their sessions and via two short measures during the session. Additionally, participants were recorded and rated by multiple (Range = 5–17) trained raters using three personality measures. Self-perceptions of sober-to-drunk personality differences were more pervasive than observer-perceptions, but alcohol-induced changes in Extraversion, specifically, were robust across measures and reporters. PMID:28785511

  13. The impact of later trading hours for hotels on levels of impaired driver road crashes and driver breath alcohol levels.

    PubMed

    Chikritzhs, Tanya; Stockwell, Tim

    2006-09-01

    To examine the impact of later trading hours for licensed hotels in Perth, Western Australia on levels of associated impaired driver road crashes and driver breath alcohol levels (BALs). Police data on the "last place of drinking" for impaired drivers involved in road crashes and their corresponding BALs were examined to identify those associated with Perth hotels between 1 July 1990 and 30 June 1997. During this period, 43 (23%) of the 186 hotels meeting study criteria were granted an Extended Trading Permit for 1 a.m. closing (ETP hotels), while the rest continued to close at midnight (non-ETP hotels). Time-series analyses employing multiple linear regressions were applied to determine whether an association existed between the introduction of extended trading and (i) monthly levels of impaired driver road crashes associated with ETP hotels and (ii) driver BALs associated with ETP hotels. Trends associated with non-ETP hotels were included as controls and possible confounders were considered. After controlling for the trend in crash rates associated with non-ETP hotels and the introduction of mobile police breath testing stations to Perth freeways, a significant increase in monthly crash rates for ETP hotels was found. This relationship was largely accounted for by higher volumes of high-alcohol content beer, wine and spirits purchased by ETP hotels. No relation was found between driver BALs and the introduction of ETPs. Late trading was associated with increased levels of impaired driver road crashes and alcohol consumption, particularly high-risk alcoholic beverages. Greater numbers of patrons and characteristics specific to clientele of hotels which applied for late trading hours (i.e. younger age, greater propensity to drunk-drive, preference for high-risk beverages) were suggested as having contributed to this increase.

  14. Effect of increased private share of inpatient psychiatric resources on jail population growth: evidence from the United States.

    PubMed

    Yoon, Jangho

    2011-02-01

    There is a strong connection between the mental health and criminal justice systems. This research empirically tested whether the privatization of the inpatient mental health system alters this relationship, contributing to jail population growth. Using state-level panel data on U.S. states and the District of Columbia for the years 1985-1998, this study analyzed the relationship between the size of jail populations and private share of hospital psychiatric beds, first for overall private beds and then separately by private for-profit and nonprofit. Empirical models controlled for changes in mental health financing and resources, variations in criminal justice practice, and demographic and socio-economic factors as well as state and year fixed effects. A method of instrumental variables was employed to make a stronger case for causal inference. Results show that a one-percentage point increase in the private for-profit share of psychiatric beds contributes to the growth of jail inmates by approximately 2.3% annually. A greater private nonprofit share of psychiatric beds does not appear to influence the size of jail populations. These findings suggest that the increased private for-profit share of inpatient psychiatric resources undermines the safety-net and some control function of the mental health system and leads to a greater number of jail inmates. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. The impact on taxpayer costs of a jail diversion program for people with serious mental illness.

    PubMed

    Cowell, Alexander J; Hinde, Jesse M; Broner, Nahama; Aldridge, Arnie P

    2013-12-01

    Mental illness is prevalent among those incarcerated. Jail diversion is one means by which people with mental illness are treated in the community - often with some criminal justice system oversight - instead of being incarcerated. Jail diversion may lead to immediate reductions in taxpayer costs because the person is no longer significantly engaged with the criminal justice system. It may also lead to longer term reductions in costs because effective treatment may ameliorate symptoms, reduce the number of future offenses, and thus subsequent arrests and incarceration. This study estimates the impact on taxpayer costs of a model jail diversion program for people with serious mental illness. Administrative data on criminal justice and treatment events were combined with primary and secondary data on the costs of each event. Propensity score methods and a quasi-experimental design were used to compare treatment and criminal justice costs for a group of people who were diverted to a group of people who were not diverted. Diversion was associated with approximately $2800 lower taxpayer costs per person 2 years after the point of diversion (p<.05). Reductions in criminal justice costs drove this result. Jail diversion for people with mental illness may thus be justified fiscally. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Comparing the validity of the K6 when assessing depression, anxiety, and PTSD among male and female jail detainees.

    PubMed

    Kubiak, Sheryl Pimlott; Beeble, Marisa; Bybee, Deborah

    2012-12-01

    A lack of a consistent and valid approach to screening within the jail often hinders identification and treatment. Furthermore, screening instruments developed for jail populations are often inadequate in detecting serious depression and anxiety disorders in women. While the remedy thus far has been the use of separate screening instruments for men and women, others have suggested that the K6, a six-item measure validated in large epidemiologic studies, may hold promise. Building on prior research, this study assesses the validity of the K6 in detecting depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and anxiety disorders among 494 male and 515 female jail detainees. The authors found that 15% of males and 36% of females meet criteria for serious mental illness on the K6, with receiver operating characteristics--area under the curve scores of .84 and .93, respectively. This study not only establishes the validity and efficiency of using the K6 for screening within jails but also suggests a need for adjusting scale cut points.

  17. Against Infrastructure: Curating Community Literacy in a Jail Writing Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jacobi, Tobi

    2016-01-01

    This essay argues that while fostering individual and collaborative literacy can indeed promote self-awareness, confidence, and political awareness, the threat of emotional and material retribution is ever-present in jail, making the development of infrastructure challenging. Such reality compels engaged teacher-researchers to develop tactical…

  18. Jails and Local Justice System Reform: Overview and Recommendations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Copp, Jennifer E.; Bales, William D.

    2018-01-01

    Over the past three decades, the number of people housed in local jails has more than tripled. Yet when it comes to reforming the nation's incarceration policies, write Jennifer Copp and William Bales, researchers, policymakers, and the public alike have focused almost exclusively on state and federal prisons. If you took a snapshot on a single…

  19. Reducing Sexual Assault on Campus: Lessons From the Movement to Prevent Drunk Driving

    PubMed Central

    2016-01-01

    I examined similarities and differences between the movement to prevent drunk driving of the 1980s, and current efforts to prevent and address campus sexual assault. As college and university administrators design policies and initiatives to reduce campus sexual assault in response to new federal legislation and regulation, they can apply lessons from successful public health initiatives to reduce drunk driving initiated more than 3 decades ago. I illustrate how interventions at the 5 levels of the social–ecological model, and messages that address entrenched cultural attitudes condoning sexual assault and blaming its victims can be used to combat campus sexual assault as a crime and a public health problem. I also show how efforts to promote community engagement can change behavioral norms and reduce offenses. PMID:26985614

  20. Mental Health Services in Local Jails: Report of a Special National Workshop. Crime and Delinquency Issues: A Monograph Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dunn, Christopher S., Ed.; Steadman, Henry J., Ed.

    This document presents papers prepared for the 1978 Special National Workshop on Mental Health Services in Local Jails. The articles provide information on several topics: (1) the nature and extent of mental health needs in local jails; (2) assessment and intervention approaches for addressing these needs; (3) mental health service delivery…

  1. 28 CFR 35.152 - Jails, detention and correctional facilities, and community correctional facilities.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... management of adult and juvenile justice jails, detention and correctional facilities, and community... OF JUSTICE NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF DISABILITY IN STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES...

  2. 28 CFR 35.152 - Jails, detention and correctional facilities, and community correctional facilities.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... management of adult and juvenile justice jails, detention and correctional facilities, and community... OF JUSTICE NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF DISABILITY IN STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES...

  3. 28 CFR 35.152 - Jails, detention and correctional facilities, and community correctional facilities.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... management of adult and juvenile justice jails, detention and correctional facilities, and community... OF JUSTICE NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF DISABILITY IN STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES...

  4. 28 CFR 35.152 - Jails, detention and correctional facilities, and community correctional facilities.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... management of adult and juvenile justice jails, detention and correctional facilities, and community... OF JUSTICE NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF DISABILITY IN STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES...

  5. Impact of Horticultural Therapy on Psychosocial Functioning among Urban Jail Inmates.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rice, Jay Stone; Remy, Linda L.

    1998-01-01

    Investigates the impact of a horticultural therapy program on 48 county jail inmates. Examines the changes in psychosocial functioning of the participants while in treatment and in post-release. Explores the clinical relevance of horticultural therapy in cultivating healthy self-development. (MKA)

  6. The ROC program: accelerated restoration of competency in a jail setting.

    PubMed

    Rice, Kevin; Jennings, Jerry L

    2014-01-01

    In 29 months of operation, the restoration of competency (ROC) program provided treatment services to 192 incompetent to stand trial patients in a jail setting. The ROC restored competency for 55% of the patients in an average of 57 days compared to the state hospital average of 180 days. The average cost of treatment/restoration per admission was $15,568 compared to the state hospital average of $81,000. The ROC model accelerates needed treatment for mentally ill defendants, cuts demand for costly state hospital forensic beds, and assists jails in better managing inmates with severe psychiatric disorders--yielding major cost savings and improved care. In addition to preventing readmissions and negative behavioral episodes, the ROC improved the broader forensic system by eliminating the state hospital waiting list, accelerating access to psychiatric services, promoting local access for lawyers and family, and gaining stakeholder satisfaction.

  7. A comparison of alcohol and drug use by random motor vehicle drivers in Brazil and Norway.

    PubMed

    Gjerde, Hallvard; Sousa, Tanara R; De Boni, Raquel; Christophersen, Asbjørg S; Limberger, Renata P; Zancanaro, Ivomar; Oiestad, Elisabeth L; Normann, Per T; Mørland, Jørg; Pechansky, Flavio

    2014-05-01

    A large proportion of road traffic crashes are related to driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs. The aim of this study was to compare the use of alcohol, illegal drugs and psychoactive medicinal drugs among random drivers in Brazil and Norway, two countries with the same legal limit for drunk driving, but with marked differences in legislation history, enforcement and penalties for DUI, and to discuss any differences found. Roadside surveys were conducted on Fridays and Saturdays between noon and midnight. Samples of oral fluid were collected for analysis of drugs, whereas alcohol was determined by breath testing or by analysis of oral fluid. High participation rates of 94-97% were obtained in both countries. The weighted prevalence of driving with alcohol concentrations in breath or oral fluid equivalent to blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) above 0.2g/L was 2.7% (95% CI 2.2-3.3) in Brazil and 0.2% (95% CI 0.0-0.5) in Norway. Stimulants (amphetamines or cocaine) were found in samples from 1.0% (95% CI 0.7-1.4) of drivers in Brazil and 0.3% (95% CI 0.1-0.7) in Norway. The prevalence of amphetamines was highest among Brazilian truck drivers (3.6%; 95% CI 2.0-6.4). Tetrahydrocannabinol was found in samples from 0.5% (95% CI 0.3-0.8) of drivers in Brazil and 1.0% (95% CI 0.6-1.5) in Norway, whereas benzodiazepines or zopiclone were found in 1.0% (95% CI 0.7-1.4) and 1.7% (95% CI 1.2-2.4) of the samples from Brazil and Norway, respectively. The difference in the prevalence of alcohol may be related to the fact that Norway has implemented steps to reduce drunk driving since 1936, whereas Brazil has attempted to do the same for only a few years. Differences for drugs may be related to different patterns in the use of stimulants, cannabis and medicines. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Rearrest and Probation Violation Outcomes among Probationers Participating in a Jail-Based Substance-Abuse Treatment Used as an Intermediate Sanction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Linhorst, Donald M.; Dirks-Linhorst, P. Ann; Groom, Ralph

    2012-01-01

    This study compares the characteristics of two groups of probationers ordered to jail-based substance-abuse treatment as an intermediate sanction. It further reviews rearrest and probation failure outcomes of the two groups, along with the demographic, clinical, and criminal factors associated with those outcomes. Probationers jailed for probation…

  9. Sex Trading Among Hazardously Drinking Jailed Women.

    PubMed

    Schonbrun, Yael Chatav; Johnson, Jennifer; Anderson, Bradley J; Stein, Michael D

    For women involved in sex trading, both alcohol problems and passage through the criminal justice system are highly prevalent. This study is the first to conduct a focused examination of factors associated with sex trading among hazardously drinking, pretrial, jailed women. Cocaine use, social support for alcohol abstinence, and more days incarcerated in the 90 days leading up to the index incarceration were significantly associated with sex trading involvement among alcoholic women. Helping incarcerated alcoholic women reduce cocaine use and improve sober support networks during and following an incarceration may minimize sex trading after release.

  10. Alcohol-related driving in China: Countermeasure implications of research conducted in two cities.

    PubMed

    Jia, Keqin; Fleiter, Judy; King, Mark; Sheehan, Mary; Ma, Wenjun; Lei, Jing; Zhang, Jianzhen

    2016-10-01

    Drunk driving (blood alcohol concentration (BAC) 80mg/100ml) was upgraded to become a criminal offence under China's Criminal Law in May 2011. While this had a major road safety benefit, there was still a high level of alcohol related crashes and fatalities. This paper develops recommendations based on a programme of research undertaken in 2012 that examined the perceptions of general motor vehicle drivers, convicted drunk driving offenders and traffic police about drinking and driving and law enforcement in the cities of Guangzhou and Yinchuan. Alcohol misuse problems were also explored using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). This paper integrates the findings to examine existing problems in alcohol management, law enforcement, education and rehabilitation and provides recommendations for addressing alcohol-related driving in China. A multi-study cross-sectional research programme was conducted in two Chinese cities involving general drivers, drunk driving offenders and traffic police. In total, 16 traffic police officers were interviewed and 105 traffic police officers were surveyed. In addition, 207 drunk driving offenders in detention facilities and 802 general motor vehicle drivers were surveyed. Traffic police resources including human resources and facilities such as breathalysers were reported as insufficient in both cities. There were problems reported in the process of law enforcement, and shortcomings in police knowledge of factors involved in drink/drunk driving and in the practice of conducting breath alcohol testing (BAT). Knowledge about legal BAC levels and how to keep under the legal limit was very low among general motor vehicle drivers and drunk driving offenders. Proportions with alcohol misuse problems in the two driver groups were high, especially among offenders. Recommendations to manage alcohol-related driving are proposed for the three groups of traffic police, general motor vehicle drivers and drunk driving offenders

  11. Creation of a Homeland Security Jail Information Model

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-03-01

    that several core members of the cell were arrested in Los Angeles County for robbery ( America at a Crossroads, n.d.). “The effort to impact ‘homegrown...later moved to Chicago, Illinois, where he was first incarcerated. Padilla was a member of the Latin Kings street gang and was convicted of aggravated...incorporated any focus on homeland security. There is not a single proven homeland security jail intelligence model in America today. According to the

  12. Synthesis, structural characterization and biological activity of two diastereomeric JA-Ile macrolactones.

    PubMed

    Jimenez-Aleman, Guillermo H; Machado, Ricardo A R; Görls, Helmar; Baldwin, Ian T; Boland, Wilhelm

    2015-06-07

    Jasmonates are phytohormones involved in a wide range of plant processes, including growth, development, senescence, and defense. Jasmonoyl-L-isoleucine (JA-Ile, 2), an amino acid conjugate of jasmonic acid (JA, 1), has been identified as a bioactive endogenous jasmonate. However, JA-Ile (2) analogues trigger different responses in the plant. ω-Hydroxylation of the pentenyl side chain leads to the inactive 12-OH-JA-Ile (3) acting as a “stop” signal. On the other hand, a lactone derivative of 12-OH-JA (5) (jasmine ketolactone, JKL) occurs in nature, although with no known biological function. Inspired by the chemical structure of JKL (6) and in order to further explore the potential biological activities of 12-modified JA-Ile derivatives, we synthesized two macrolactones (JA-Ile-lactones (4a) and (4b)) derived from 12-OH-JA-Ile (3). The biological activity of (4a) and (4b) was tested for their ability to elicit nicotine production, a well-known jasmonate dependent secondary metabolite. Both macrolactones showed strong biological activity, inducing nicotine accumulation to a similar extent as methyl jasmonate does in Nicotiana attenuata leaves. Surprisingly, the highest nicotine contents were found in plants treated with the JA-Ile-lactone (4b), which has (3S,7S) configuration at the cyclopentanone not known from natural jasmonates. Macrolactone (4a) is a valuable standard to explore for its occurrence in nature.

  13. Understanding the Revolving Door: Individual and Structural-Level Predictors of Recidivism Among Individuals with HIV Leaving Jail

    PubMed Central

    Fu, Jeannia J.; Herme, Maua; Wickersham, Jeffrey A.; Zelenev, Alexei; Althoff, Amy; Zaller, Nickolas D.; Bazazi, Alexander R.; Avery, Ann K.; Porterfield, Jeff; Jordan, Alison O.; Simon-Levine, Dominique; Lyman, Martha; Altice, Frederick L.

    2014-01-01

    Incarceration, particularly when recurrent, can significantly compromise the health of individuals living with HIV. Despite this, the occurrence of recidivism among individuals with HIV has been little examined, particularly among those leaving jail, who may be at especially high risk for return to the criminal justice system. We evaluated individual- and structural-level predictors of recidivism and time to re-incarceration in a cohort of 798 individuals with HIV leaving jail. Nearly a third of the sample experienced at least one re-incarceration event in the 6 months following jail release. Having ever been diagnosed with a major psychiatric disorder, prior homelessness, having longer lifetime incarceration history, having been charged with a violent offense for the index incarceration and not having health insurance in the 30 days following jail release were predictive of recidivism and associated with shorter time to re-incarceration. Health interventions for individuals with HIV who are involved in the criminal justice system should also target recidivism as a predisposing factor for poor health outcomes. The factors found to be associated with recidivism in this study may be potential targets for intervention and need to be further explored. Reducing criminal justice involvement should be a key component of efforts to promote more sustainable improvements in health and well-being among individuals living with HIV. PMID:24037440

  14. The effect of stress and personality on dangerous driving behavior among Chinese drivers.

    PubMed

    Ge, Yan; Qu, Weina; Jiang, Caihong; Du, Feng; Sun, Xianghong; Zhang, Kan

    2014-12-01

    The relationship between stress and road safety has been studied for many years, but the effect of global stress and its joint effect with personality on driving behavior have received little attention in previous studies. This study aimed to elucidate the impact of global stress and various personality traits on driving behavior. 242 drivers completed the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10), the Dula Dangerous Driving Index (DDDI), and several personality trait scales related to anger, sensation seeking, and altruism. The results showed that perceived stress and sensation seeking were significantly correlated with the four subcategories of dangerous driving behavior, namely, negative cognitive/emotional driving (NCED), aggressive driving (AD), risky driving (RD), and drunk driving (DD). Moreover, anger was positively correlated with negative cognitive/emotional driving, aggressive driving, and risky driving, and altruism was negatively correlated with aggressive driving and drunk driving. Hierarchical multiple regressions were applied to analyze the mediating effect of personality traits, and the results showed that anger mediated the relationship between stress and dangerous driving behavior and that this mediating role was especially strong for negative cognitive/emotional driving and aggressive driving. Collectively, the results showed that stress is an important factor that can affect people's driving behavior but that personality traits mediate the effect of stress on driving behavior. The findings from this study regarding the relationship among stress, anger, and dangerous driving behavior could be applied in the development of intervention programs for stress and anger management in order to improve drivers' ability to manage emotional thoughts and adjust their behavior on the road. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. The criminal justice outcomes of jail diversion programs for persons with mental illness: a review of the evidence.

    PubMed

    Sirotich, Frank

    2009-01-01

    Diversion programs are initiatives in which persons with serious mental illness who are involved with the criminal justice system are redirected from traditional criminal justice pathways to the mental health and substance abuse treatment systems. This article is a review of the research literature conducted to determine whether the current evidence supports the use of diversion initiatives to reduce recidivism and to reduce incarceration among adults with serious mental illness with justice involvement. A structured literature search identified 21 publications or research papers for review that examined the criminal justice outcomes of various diversion models. The review revealed little evidence of the effectiveness of jail diversion in reducing recidivism among persons with serious mental illness. However, evidence was found that jail diversion initiatives can reduce the amount of jail time that persons with mental illness serve. Implications for practice and research are discussed.

  16. Vaccination in the county jail as a strategy to reach high risk adults during a community-based hepatitis A outbreak among methamphetamine drug users.

    PubMed

    Vong, Sirenda; Fiore, Anthony E; Haight, Daniel O; Li, Jinfeng; Borgsmiller, Nancy; Kuhnert, Wendi; Pinero, Frances; Boaz, Kathy; Badsgard, Tracy; Mancini, Carmela; Nainan, Omana V; Wiersma, Steven; Bell, Beth P

    2005-01-11

    Illicit drug use (IDU) is an important risk factor for hepatitis A, but implementing vaccination programs among drug users is difficult. During January 2001-July 2002, 403 hepatitis A cases were reported in Polk County, Florida; 48% were drug users and of these, 80% were recently in jail. To assess the county jail as a potential vaccination venue, we interviewed 280 inmates and conducted a serologic survey during July--August 2002. Of these, 227 (81%) reported a past IDU history. Previous HAV infection was found in 33%. In communities with illicit drug users at risk for hepatitis A and who are frequently jailed, vaccination programs in jails could be an important component of a community-based strategy to control hepatitis A outbreaks among illicit drug users.

  17. Deterrent effects of demerit points and license sanctions on drivers' traffic law violations using a proportional hazard model.

    PubMed

    Lee, Jaeyeong; Park, Byung-Jung; Lee, Chungwon

    2018-04-01

    Current traffic law enforcement places an emphasis on reducing accident risk from human factors such as drunk driving and speeding. Among the various strategies implemented, demerit points and license sanction systems have been widely used as punitive and educational measures. Limitations, however, exist in previous studies in terms of estimating the interaction effects of demerit points and license sanctions. To overcome such limitations, this work focused on identifying the interaction effects of demerit points and license sanctions on driver traffic violation behavior. The interaction deterrent effects were assessed by using a Cox's proportional hazard model to provide a more accurate and unbiased estimation. For this purpose, five years of driver conviction data was obtained from the Korea National Police Agency (KNPA). This data included personal characteristics, demerit point accumulation and license sanction status. The analysis showed that accumulated demerit points had specific deterrent effects. Additionally, license revocation showed consistent and significant deterrent effects, greater than those for suspension. Male drivers under their 30s holding a motorcycle license were identified as the most violation-prone driver group, suggesting that stricter testing for the acquisition of a motorcycle driver's license is needed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Exploring Low Alcohol Beer Consumption Among College Students: Implications for Drunk Driving.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Russ, Nason W.; Geller, E. Scott

    1988-01-01

    When given a "blind" taste test prior to a party, college students (N=137) showed no clear preference for Budweiser beer, Bud Light, or low-alcohol beer, but later drank significantly less low-alcohol beer. It was concluded that without improved marketing intervention, low-alcohol beer will not impact on drunk driving among college…

  19. Sex Trading Among Hazardously Drinking Jailed Women

    PubMed Central

    Schonbrun, Yael Chatav; Johnson, Jennifer; Anderson, Bradley J.; Stein, Michael D.

    2016-01-01

    For women involved in sex trading, both alcohol problems and passage through the criminal justice system are highly prevalent. This study is the first to conduct a focused examination of factors associated with sex trading among hazardously drinking, pretrial, jailed women. Cocaine use, social support for alcohol abstinence, and more days incarcerated in the 90 days leading up to the index incarceration were significantly associated with sex trading involvement among alcoholic women. Helping incarcerated alcoholic women reduce cocaine use and improve sober support networks during and following an incarceration may minimize sex trading after release. PMID:28190917

  20. An Examination of Care Practices of Pregnant Women Incarcerated in Jail Facilities in the United States.

    PubMed

    Kelsey, C M; Medel, Nickole; Mullins, Carson; Dallaire, Danielle; Forestell, Catherine

    2017-06-01

    The number of incarcerated women in the United States has been steadily increasing over the last 30 years. An estimated 6-10% of these women are pregnant at intake. Previous studies on the health needs and care of pregnant incarcerated women have focused mainly on prison settings. Therefore, we examined the pregnancy-related accommodations and health care provided for regional jail populations. The present study is a quantitative survey (administered through phone or email to employees of predominately jail medical facilities) of common practices and policies employed across 53 jail facilities in the United States as a function of geographic region (North vs. South; West vs. Central vs. East). We examined provision of pregnancy screening, special diets, and drug rehabilitation and prohibition of shackling. Strikingly, across all aspects of the care of pregnant incarcerated women there are areas to be improved upon. Notably, only 37.7% of facilities pregnancy test all women upon entry, 45.7% put opioid addicted women through withdrawal protocol, and 56.7% of facilities use restraints on women hours after having a baby. In this first study to examine practices in regional jails nationwide, we found evidence that standards of care guidelines to improve health and well-being of pregnant incarcerated women, set by agencies such as American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, are not being followed in many facilities. Because not following these guidelines could pose major health risks to the mother and developing fetus, better policies, better enforcement of policies, and better common practices are needed to improve the health and welfare of pregnant incarcerated women.

  1. Survey Finds That Many Prisons And Jails Have Room To Improve HIV Testing And Coordination Of Postrelease Treatment

    PubMed Central

    Solomon, Liza; Montague, Brian T.; Beckwith, Curt G.; Baillargeon, Jacques; Costa, Michael; Dumont, Dora; Kuo, Irene; Kurth, Ann; Rich, Josiah D.

    2014-01-01

    Early diagnosis of HIV and effective antiretroviral treatment are key elements in efforts to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with HIV. Incarcerated populations are disproportionately affected by HIV, with the disease’s prevalence among inmates estimated to be three to five times higher than among the general population. Correctional institutions offer important opportunities to test for HIV and link infected people to postrelease treatment services. To examine HIV testing and policies that help HIV-positive people obtain treatment in the community after release, we administered a survey to the medical directors of the fifty state prison systems and of forty of the largest jails in the United States. We found that 19 percent of prison systems and 35 percent of jails provide opt-out HIV testing, which is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Additionally, fewer than 20 percent of prisons and jails conform to the CDC’s recommendations regarding discharge planning services for inmates transitioning to the community: making an appointment with a community health care provider, assisting with enrollment in an entitlement program, and providing a copy of the medical record and a supply of HIV medications. These findings suggest that opportunities for HIV diagnosis and linking HIV-positive inmates to community care after release are being missed in the majority of prison systems and jails. PMID:24590942

  2. The behavioral economics of drunk driving.

    PubMed

    Sloan, Frank A; Eldred, Lindsey M; Xu, Yanzhi

    2014-05-01

    This study investigates whether drinker-drivers attributes are associated with imperfect rationality or irrationality. Using data from eight U.S. cities, we determine whether drinker-drivers differ from other drinkers in cognitive ability, ignorance of driving while intoxicated (DWI) laws, have higher rates of time preference, are time inconsistent, and lack self-control on other measures. We find that drinker-drivers are relatively knowledgeable about DWI laws and do not differ on two of three study measures of cognitive ability from other drinkers. Drinker-drivers are less prone to plan events involving drinking, e.g., selecting a designated driver in advance of drinking, and are more impulsive. Furthermore, we find evidence in support of hyperbolic discounting. In particular, relative to non-drinker-drivers, the difference between short- and long-term discount rates is much higher for drinker-drivers than for other drinkers. Implications of our findings for public policy, including incapacitation, treatment, and educational interventions, are discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. The Behavioral Economics of Drunk Driving

    PubMed Central

    Sloan, Frank A.; Eldred, Lindsey; Xu, Yanzhi

    2014-01-01

    This study investigates whether drinker-drivers attributes are associated with imperfect rationality or irrationality. Using data from eight U.S. cities, we determine whether drinker-drivers differ from other drinkers in cognitive ability, ignorance of driving while intoxicated (DWI) laws, have higher rates of time preference, are time inconsistent, and lack self-control on other measures. We find that drinker-drivers are relatively knowledgeable about DWI laws and do not differ on two of three study measures of cognitive ability from other drinkers. Drinker-drivers are less prone to plan events involving drinking, e.g., selecting a designated driver in advance of drinking, and are more impulsive. Furthermore, we find evidence in support of hyperbolic discounting. In particular, relative to non-drinker-drivers, the difference between short- and long-term discount rates is much higher for drinker-drivers than for other drinkers. Implications of our findings for public policy, including incapacitation, treatment, and educational interventions, are discussed. PMID:24603444

  4. Intersystem return on investment in public mental health: Positive externality of public mental health expenditure for the jail system in the U.S.

    PubMed

    Yoon, Jangho; Luck, Jeff

    2016-12-01

    This study examines the extent to which increased public mental health expenditures lead to a reduction in jail populations and computes the associated intersystem return on investment (ROI). We analyze unique panel data on 44 U.S. states and D.C. for years 2001-2009. To isolate the intersystem spillover effect, we exploit variations across states and over time within states in per capita public mental health expenditures and average daily jail inmates. Regression models control for a comprehensive set of determinants of jail incarcerations as well as unobserved determinants specific to state and year. Findings show a positive spillover benefit of increased public mental health spending on the jail system: a 10% increase in per capita public inpatient mental health expenditure on average leads to a 1.5% reduction in jail inmates. We also find that the positive intersystem externality of increased public inpatient mental health expenditure is greater when the level of community mental health spending is lower. Similarly, the intersystem spillover effect of community mental health expenditure is larger when inpatient mental health spending is lower. We compute that overall an extra dollar in public inpatient mental health expenditure by a state would yield an intersystem ROI of a quarter dollar for the jail system. There is significant cross-state variation in the intersystem ROI in both public inpatient and community mental health expenditures, and the ROI overall is greater for inpatient mental health spending than for community mental health spending. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  5. Costs of voluntary rapid HIV testing and counseling in jails in 4 states--advancing HIV Prevention Demonstration Project, 2003-2006.

    PubMed

    Shrestha, Ram K; Sansom, Stephanie L; Richardson-Moore, April; French, P Tyler; Scalco, Beth; Lalota, Marlene; Llanas, Michelle; Stodola, James; Macgowan, Robin; Margolis, Andrew

    2009-02-01

    To assess the costs of rapid human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing and counseling to identify new diagnoses of HIV infection among jail inmates. We obtained program costs and testing outcomes from rapid HIV testing and counseling services provided in jails from March 1, 2004, through February 28, 2005, in Florida, Louisiana, New York, and Wisconsin. We obtained annual program delivery costs-fixed and variable costs-from each project area. We estimated the average cost of providing counseling and testing to HIV-negative and HIV-infected inmates and estimated the cost per newly diagnosed HIV infection. In the 4 project areas, 17,433 inmates (range, 2185-6463) were tested: HIV infection was diagnosed for 152 inmates (range, 4-81). The average cost of testing ranged from $29.46 to $44.98 for an HIV-negative inmate and from $71.37 to $137.72 for an HIV-infected inmate. The average cost per newly diagnosed HIV infection ranged from $2,451 to $25,288. Variable costs were 61% to 86% of total costs. The cost of identifying jail inmates with newly diagnosed HIV infection by using rapid HIV testing varied according to the prevalence of undiagnosed HIV infection among inmates tested in project areas. Variations in the cost of testing HIV-negative and HIV-infected inmates were because of the differences in wages, travel to the jails, and the amount of time spent on counseling and testing. Program managers can use these data to gauge the cost of initiating counseling and testing programs in jails or to streamline current programs.

  6. Drunk Driving. Surgeon General's Workshop. Proceedings (Washington, D.C., December 14-16, 1988).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Janus Associates.

    This volume presents solutions, recommendations, and strategies in eleven interrelated areas considered at the Surgeon General's Workshop on Drunk Driving held in Washington, D.C. in December of 1988. Lists of the members of the Workshop Planning Committee and members of the federal advisory group on follow-up activities for the workshop are…

  7. SMOKE ’EM IF YOU GOT ’EM: CIGARETTE BLACK MARKETS IN U.S. PRISONS AND JAILS

    PubMed Central

    LANKENAU, STEPHEN E.

    2007-01-01

    Since the mid-1980s, cigarette-smoking policies have become increasingly restrictive in jails and prisons across the United States. Cigarette black markets of various form and scale often emerge in jails and prisons where tobacco is prohibited or banned. Case studies of 16 jails and prisons were undertaken to understand the effects of cigarette bans versus restrictions on inmate culture and prison economies. This study describes how bans can transform largely benign cigarette “gray markets,” where cigarettes are used as a currency, into more problematic black markets, where cigarettes are a highly priced commodity. Analysis points to several structural factors that affected the development of cigarette black markets in the visited facilities: the architectural design, inmate movement inside and outside, officer involvement in smuggling cigarettes to inmates, and officer vigilance in enforcing the smoking policy. Although these factors affect the influx of other types of contraband into correctional facilities, such as illegal drugs, this study argues that the demand and availability of cigarettes creates a unique kind of black market. PMID:18064295

  8. Education level as a predictor of condom use in jail-incarcerated women, with fundamental cause analysis.

    PubMed

    Emerson, Amanda M; Carroll, Hsiang-Feng; Ramaswamy, Megha

    2018-05-27

    To model condom usage by jail-incarcerated women incarcerated in US local jails and understand results in terms of fundamental cause theory. We surveyed 102 women in an urban jail in the Midwest United States. Chi-square tests and generalized linear modeling were used to identify factors of significance for women who used condoms during last sex compared with women who did not. Stepwise multiple logistic regression was conducted to estimate the relation between the outcome variable and variables linked to condom use in the literature. Logistic regression showed that for women who completed high school odds of reporting condom use during last sex were 2.78 times higher (p = .043) than the odds for women with less than a high school education. Among women who responded no to ever having had a sexually transmitted infection, odds of using a condom during last sex were 2.597 times (p = .03) higher than odds for women who responded that they had had a sexually transmitted infection. Education is a fundamental cause of reproductive health risk among incarcerated women. We recommend interventions that creatively target distal over proximal factors. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. Fatal connections--socioeconomic determinants of road accident risk and drunk driving in Sweden.

    PubMed

    Krüger, Niclas A

    2013-09-01

    In recent years a considerable number of papers have examined socioeconomic factors influencing the number and the outcome of traffic accidents. There is however more research needed to confirm the previous results in order to generalize them and a need to examine additional factors that might have an impact. This paper uses both regional panel data and national time series data combined with filtering techniques to determine what factors influence the number of accidents, the accident outcome and detected drunk driving. Using time series data, it is found that the number of traffic fatalities increases for both per capita and per person kilometer travelled during economic booms. This indicates that the death risk rises not only because of increased mileage or motorization during booms. Using panel data, it is found that traffic fatalities decrease with unemployment, whereas personal injuries increase on a per capita basis with youth and the number of cars. In contrast to property crimes and other types of crime, drunk driving in Sweden decreases during economic contractions. The main policy conclusion from our results is that resources for safety measures should not be spend uniformly across time and space. Instead, safety measures should be concentrated to areas with a high share of young people and to periods with low unemployment. The results of the time series analysis suggest that factors other than increased mileage during booms contribute to the higher rate of fatalities during good times. Increased risk taking, such as drunk driving, might be an explanatory factor. The results might be interesting for safety-oriented car and truck producers as well for developers of traffic safety products, since the results indicate in what regional markets and under what market conditions their products are most needed. Copyright © 2013 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. The mentally ill in jails and prisons: towards an integrated model of prevention.

    PubMed

    Lamberti, J S; Weisman, R L; Schwarzkopf, S B; Price, N; Ashton, R M; Trompeter, J

    2001-01-01

    Jails and prisons have become a final destination for persons with severe mental illness in America. Addiction, homelessness, and fragmentation of services have contributed to the problem, and have underscored the need for new models of service delivery. Project Link is a university-led consortium of five community agencies in Monroe County, New York that spans healthcare, social service and criminal justice systems. The program features a mobile treatment team with a forensic psychiatrist, a dual diagnosis treatment residence, and culturally competent staff. This paper discusses the importance of service integration in preventing jail and hospital recidivism, and describes steps that Project Link has taken towards integrating healthcare, criminal justice, and social services. Results from a preliminary evaluation suggest that Project Link may be effective in reducing recidivism and in improving community adjustment among severely mentally ill patients with histories of arrest and incarceration.

  11. “I’m not sure that I can figure out how to do that”: Pursuit of work among people with mental illnesses leaving jail1

    PubMed Central

    Baron, Richard C.; Draine, Jeffrey; Salzer, Mark S.

    2013-01-01

    Restoring people with mental illnesses to community life after detention in jail is fraught with significant challenges. Many of these challenges mirror those faced by anyone else who has been detained in jail. Among these are the particular challenge of seeking gainful employment and financial support for day-to-day life. This challenge is intensified when individuals return from jail to impoverished communities where employment prospects are already limited for residents, and where either a criminal record or a mental illness creates still additional barriers to work. To understand these barriers more fully, this study examined the process of seeking employment among people with mental illnesses leaving jail. Seventeen individuals with a history of mental health problems and with recent jail incarcerations were recruited from either a community based employment program or a mental health service setting. The informants were interviewed using life history interview techniques. Results show that connections to the paid workforce were tenuous at best for these respondents, both before and after their jail detention. While psychiatric symptoms, addiction, and the lack of productive social connections were individual-level factors that affected employment, the most pernicious impediments were rooted in policy, community structures, stigma and other social and economic realities.. If employment interventions are to have any traction at all in these settings, interventionists need to dig for innovative ways to address these factors, which are not complications, but bedrock realities that undergird all else. PMID:23935455

  12. Effects of Maine's 1981 and Massachusetts' 1982 driving-under-the-influence legislation.

    PubMed Central

    Hingson, R; Heeren, T; Kovenock, D; Mangione, T; Meyers, A; Morelock, S; Lederman, R; Scotch, N A

    1987-01-01

    In 1981, Maine passed a drunk driving law with mandatory penalties and a new civil charge to increase the conviction rate. One year later, Massachusetts increased drunk driving penalties, particularly for repeat offenders and intoxicated drivers involved in fatal crashes. In Maine, single-vehicle nighttime fatal crashes declined 22 per cent the year before passage of the law, and 33 per cent the year after. Maine's rates returned to pre-law levels by the third post-law year. Prior to Massachusetts' new law, single-vehicle nighttime and overall fatal crashes there also declined 20% and 22%, whereas after this law fatal crash rates did not decline further compared with the pre-law year or other New England states. Pre- and post-law surveys indicate that both laws were followed by some increases in public perceptions that drunk drivers stopped by police would be arrested, convicted, and receive automatic penalties. But, few believed it was very likely that drunk drivers would be stopped. For only two of three years studied after Maine's law did more people there report decisions not to drive because they had drunk too much. In Massachusetts, reported driving after heavy drinking declined as much the year before as the three years after its law. PMID:3565654

  13. Factors associated with sterilization use among women leaving a U.S. jail: a mixed methods study.

    PubMed

    Ramaswamy, Megha; Kelly, Patricia J

    2014-07-31

    Despite the high rates of reported sterilization use among women who have spent time in correctional facilities, little is known about the context in which women in this population choose this option. The objective of our study was to use both quantitative and qualitative methods to understand factors associated with sterilization use among women leaving a U.S. jail. We administered a cross-sectional survey with 102 jailed women who were participating in a study about contraceptive use after release from jail, and then conducted semi-structured interviews with 29 of those women after their release from jail. We used logistic regression and analytic induction to assess factors associated with self-reported sterilization use. In our cross-sectional survey, one-third of our sample reported a history of sterilization use. Controlling for age and past pregnancies, the only factor associated with sterilization use was physical abuse history before age 16. In semi-structured interviews, we found that women's primary motivation for sterilization was the desire to limit childbearing permanently, in some cases where other contraceptive methods had failed them. The decision for sterilization was generally supported by family, partners, and providers. Many women who opted for sterilization expressed financial concern about supporting children and/or reported family histories of sterilization. The decision to use the permanent method of sterilization as a contraceptive method is a complex one. Results from this study suggest that while explicit coercion may not be a factor in women's choice for sterilization, interpersonal relationship histories, negative experiences with contraceptives, and structural constraints, such as financial concerns and ongoing criminal justice involvement, seem to influence sterilization use among the vulnerable group of women with criminal justice histories. Public health programs that connect women to reproductive health services should acknowledge

  14. The 2006 National Labor Day impaired driving enforcement crackdown : Drunk driving. Over the limit. Under arrest.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2008-09-01

    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administrations 2006 Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest. Labor Day holiday campaign had three main components: (1) DWI enforcement, (2) public awareness efforts, and (3) evaluation. The 2006 program use...

  15. Deaths in New York City Jails, 2001–2009

    PubMed Central

    Brittain, Joan; Axelrod, George

    2013-01-01

    Approximately 90 000 inmates are admitted annually to the New York City jail system, many of whom require a high level of medical or mental health services. According to our analysis of deaths in custody from 2001 to 2009, crude death rates have dropped significantly despite the increasing age of the population. Falling HIV-related mortality appears to contribute to this change. Other observations include low rates of suicide across all 9 years and increasing age of the population in recent years. PMID:23409900

  16. 78 FR 41084 - Solicitation for a Cooperative Agreement-Video Production: Direct Supervision Jails

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-07-09

    ... narration, interviews, graphics, and footage shot in jails. This project will be a collaborative venture... solicitation, one award will be made. Funds awarded under this solicitation may only be used for activities... the complete production. Project Director The production company will assign one staff to oversee the...

  17. Do the presence of Barr bodies in male jail inmates indicates criminality: A pilot study.

    PubMed

    Kulkarni, Mayuri K; Somannavar, Pradeep D; Kotrashetti, Vijayalakshmi; Nayak, Ramakant; Hosmani, Jagadish; Babji, Deepa

    2016-01-01

    Cytogenetic studies from past decades have shown that interphase cells of female cats contain a densely stained chromatin mass in their nuclei called as Barr bodies (BBs) named after the scientist Murray Barr. BBs are unique chromatin structures formed due to the condensation of the X-chromosome. Many psychopathic disorders originate from defective genes including the multiple X syndromes. Males with extra X-chromosome generally present with severe personality disorder. The present study was conducted to determine the presence of extra X-chromosome in male jail inmates through the detection of BB in peripheral blood and buccal smear. Study included 100 male subjects (fifty jail inmates and fifty controls), after obtaining the consent, peripheral blood smears (PBS) and buccal smears (BS) were prepared and stained using Leishman's and cresyl violet stain respectively. One hundred neutrophils in PBS and epithelial cells in BS were screened for detection of the BB; accumulated data were tabulated and statistically analyzed using t-test and Chi-square test. 60% of cases in PBS and 36% in BS showed positivity for the presence of BB in jail inmates as compared to 14% of cases in PBS and none in BS were positive for BB in controls. Presence of BB in male suggests increased likelihood of criminal tendencies. Further studies are to be carried out to compare the results with karyotyping.

  18. Interim Methadone and Patient Navigation in Jail: Rationale and Design of a Randomized Clinical Trial

    PubMed Central

    Schwartz, Robert P.; Kelly, Sharon M.; Mitchell, Shannon G.; Dunlap, Laura; Zarkin, Gary A.; Sharma, Anjalee; O’Grady, Kevin E.; Jaffe, Jerome H.

    2016-01-01

    Background Methadone maintenance is an effective treatment for opioid dependence but is rarely initiated in US jails. Patient navigation is a promising approach to improve continuity of care but has not been tested in bridging the gap between jail- and community-based drug treatment programs. Methods This is an open-label randomized clinical trial among 300 adult opioid dependent newly-arrested detainees that will compare three treatment conditions: methadone maintenance without routine counseling (termed Interim Methadone; IM) initiated in jail v. IM and patient navigation v. enhanced treatment-as-usual. The two primary outcomes will be: (1) the rate of entry into treatment for opioid use disorder within 30 days from release and (2) frequency of opioid positive urine tests over the 12-month follow-up period. An economic analysis will examine the costs, cost-effectiveness, and cost-benefit ratio of the study interventions. Results We describe the background and rationale for the study, its aims, hypotheses, and study design. Conclusions Given the large number of opioid dependent detainees in the US and elsewhere, initiating IM at the time of incarceration could be a significant public health and clinical approach to reducing relapse, recidivism, HIV-risk behavior, and criminal behavior. An economic analysis will be conducted to assist policy makers in determining the utility of adopting this approach. PMID:27282117

  19. Interim methadone and patient navigation in jail: Rationale and design of a randomized clinical trial.

    PubMed

    Schwartz, Robert P; Kelly, Sharon M; Mitchell, Shannon G; Dunlap, Laura; Zarkin, Gary A; Sharma, Anjalee; O'Grady, Kevin E; Jaffe, Jerome H

    2016-07-01

    Methadone maintenance is an effective treatment for opioid dependence but is rarely initiated in US jails. Patient navigation is a promising approach to improve continuity of care but has not been tested in bridging the gap between jail- and community-based drug treatment programs. This is an open-label randomized clinical trial among 300 adult opioid dependent newly-arrested detainees that will compare three treatment conditions: methadone maintenance without routine counseling (termed Interim Methadone; IM) initiated in jail v. IM and patient navigation v. enhanced treatment-as-usual. The two primary outcomes will be: (1) the rate of entry into treatment for opioid use disorder within 30days from release and (2) frequency of opioid positive urine tests over the 12-month follow-up period. An economic analysis will examine the costs, cost-effectiveness, and cost-benefit ratio of the study interventions. We describe the background and rationale for the study, its aims, hypotheses, and study design. Given the large number of opioid dependent detainees in the US and elsewhere, initiating IM at the time of incarceration could be a significant public health and clinical approach to reducing relapse, recidivism, HIV-risk behavior, and criminal behavior. An economic analysis will be conducted to assist policy makers in determining the utility of adopting this approach. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02334215. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Characteristics of 1226 alcohol-positive drivers involved in nonfatal traffic crashes in Shanghai, China.

    PubMed

    Sun, Yingying; Huang, Zhibin; Zhao, Ziqin; Jiang, Yan; Ye, Yonghong; Yu, Tianfang; Rao, Yulan

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of our study was to better characterize and evaluate drunk driving for governmental reference in order to further reduce alcohol-impaired driving. This article reports the characteristics of 1226 alcohol-positive drivers with blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) at or over the legal limit of 0.20 mg/mL involved in nonfatal traffic accidents in Shanghai, China, from 2008 to 2011. The mean BAC, age, and gender of these drivers are discussed as well as the vehicle types and times of day when the crashes occurred. The mean BAC was 1.41 mg/mL and the mean age was 38 years old, and the vast majority of drivers were male (96.9%). The mean BAC of male drivers (1.42 mg/mL) was higher than that of female drivers (1.20 mg/mL). The mean age of male drivers (38) was also higher than that of female drivers (33). Distributions of vehicle types involved were studied. Cars had the highest percentage of occurrences (56.4%), followed by motorcycles (32.8%), electric bicycles (6.8%), trucks (1.5%), and bicycles (0.8%). It was found that these alcohol-related traffic crashes most often occurred between 7:00 p.m. and 10:59 p.m., representing 48.1 percent (n = 590) of the 1226 cases. Single-vehicle crashes were overrepresented (70.3%) in all cases. The mean BAC in multivehicle crashes (1.69 mg/mL) was higher than that in single-vehicle crashes (1.30 mg/mL). The results indicated a notable need for more governmental attention that would prevent accidents caused by driving under the influence of alcohol.

  1. Reducing Teenage Binge Drinking and Drunk Driving on the Reservation: The Pikanii Action Team

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Still Smoking, Dorothy; Bull Shoe, Debbie Whitegrass

    2012-01-01

    The Pikanii Action Team project addressed the issues of teenage drinking and drunk driving on the Blackfeet Reservation. Basing their actions on locally-generated research, the Pikanii Action Team conducted a series of activities and initiatives to promote public awareness and action related to high-risk activities related to drinking. The team's…

  2. Association between self-reports of being high and perceptions about the safety of drugged and drunk driving.

    PubMed

    Allen, Jane A; Davis, Kevin C; Duke, Jennifer C; Nonnemaker, James M; Bradfield, Brian R; Farrelly, Matthew C; Novak, Scott P; Zarkin, Gary A

    2016-08-01

    This study examines the relationship between self-reports of being high on marijuana and perceptions about driving high or drunk. Data were collected in 2014 from an online convenience sample of adult, past 30-day marijuana and hashish users in Colorado and Washington (n = 865). Respondents were asked, "Were you high or feeling the effects of marijuana or hashish when you took this survey?" Logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between being high and beliefs about driving high, controlling for demographics and marijuana use. Respondents who reported being high at the time of survey administration had higher odds of agreeing with the statements, "I can safely drive under the influence of marijuana" (OR = 3.13, P < 0.001) and "I can safely drive under the influence of alcohol" (OR = 3.71, P < 0.001) compared with respondents who did not report being high. Respondents who were high also had higher odds of being open to driving high under certain circumstances. Being high may influence perceptions about the safety of drugged and drunk driving. The effectiveness of public health messages to prevent drugged and drunk driving may depend in part on how persuasive they are among individuals who are high. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  3. PTSD as a mediator between lifetime sexual abuse and substance use among jail diversion participants.

    PubMed

    Cusack, Karen J; Herring, Amy H; Steadman, Henry J

    2013-08-01

    Many of the individuals with serious mental illness involved in the criminal justice system have experienced interpersonal victimization, such as sexual abuse, and have high rates of alcohol and drug use disorders. Little attention has been paid to the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and its potential role in the substance misuse of offenders with mental illness. The study used a path analytic framework to test the hypothesis that PTSD mediates the relationship between sexual abuse and level of alcohol and drug use among individuals (N=386) with mental illness enrolled in a multisite (N=7) jail diversion project. Sexual abuse was strongly associated with PTSD, which was in turn associated with both heavy drug use and heavy drinking. These findings suggest that PTSD may be an important target for jail diversion programs.

  4. Risks of drug-related death, suicide, and homicide during the immediate post-release period among people released from New York City jails, 2001-2005.

    PubMed

    Lim, Sungwoo; Seligson, Amber Levanon; Parvez, Farah M; Luther, Charles W; Mavinkurve, Maushumi P; Binswanger, Ingrid A; Kerker, Bonnie D

    2012-03-15

    The authors assessed the risks of drug-related death, suicide, and homicide after release from New York City jails in 155,272 people who were incarcerated anytime from 2001 through 2005 and examined whether the mortality rate was associated with homelessness. Using jail records matched with death and single-adult homeless registries in New York City, they calculated standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) and relative risks. After adjustment for age, sex, race, and neighborhood, the risks of drug-related death and homicide in formerly incarcerated persons were 2 times higher than those of New York City residents who had not been incarcerated in New York City jails during the study period. These relative risks were greatly elevated during the first 2 weeks after release (for drug-related causes, SMR = 8.0, 95% confidence interval (CI): 5.2, 11.8; for homicide, SMR = 5.1, 95% CI: 3.2, 7.8). Formerly incarcerated people with histories of homelessness had higher rates of drug-related death (RR = 3.4, 95% CI: 2.1, 5.5) and suicide (RR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.2, 3.4) than did persons without such histories. For individuals who died of drug-related causes, longer jail stays were associated with a shorter time until death after release. These results suggest that jail- and community-based interventions are needed to reduce the excess mortality risk among formerly incarcerated people.

  5. Traumatic brain injury in a county jail population: prevalence, neuropsychological functioning and psychiatric disorders.

    PubMed

    Slaughter, Bill; Fann, Jesse R; Ehde, Dawn

    2003-09-01

    To determine the prevalence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) among inmates in a county jail population. Cross-sectional, observational study. A standardized interview was used to determine prevalence of TBI in 69 randomly selected inmates. To examine cognitive and emotional differences between subjects with and without recent TBI, neuropsychological tests and structured psychiatric diagnostic interviews were conducted with 50 subjects (the first 25 with TBI and the first 25 without TBI in the prior year). Sixty (87.0%) reported TBI over their lifetime; 25 (36.2%) reported TBI in the prior year. The latter group had significantly worse anger and aggression scores and had a trend towards poorer cognitive test results and a higher prevalence of psychiatric disorders than the group without TBI in the prior year. This study suggests the need for increased attention to TBI and its cognitive, behavioural and psychiatric sequelae in jail populations.

  6. Prediction of vehicle crashes by drivers' characteristics and past traffic violations in Korea using a zero-inflated negative binomial model.

    PubMed

    Kim, Dae-Hwan; Ramjan, Lucie M; Mak, Kwok-Kei

    2016-01-01

    Traffic safety is a significant public health challenge, and vehicle crashes account for the majority of injuries. This study aims to identify whether drivers' characteristics and past traffic violations may predict vehicle crashes in Korea. A total of 500,000 drivers were randomly selected from the 11.6 million driver records of the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs in Korea. Records of traffic crashes were obtained from the archives of the Korea Insurance Development Institute. After matching the past violation history for the period 2004-2005 with the number of crashes in year 2006, a total of 488,139 observations were used for the analysis. Zero-inflated negative binomial model was used to determine the incident risk ratio (IRR) of vehicle crashes by past violations of individual drivers. The included covariates were driver's age, gender, district of residence, vehicle choice, and driving experience. Drivers violating (1) a hit-and-run or drunk driving regulation at least once and (2) a signal, central line, or speed regulation more than once had a higher risk of a vehicle crash with respective IRRs of 1.06 and 1.15. Furthermore, female gender, a younger age, fewer years of driving experience, and middle-sized vehicles were all significantly associated with a higher likelihood of vehicle crashes. Drivers' demographic characteristics and past traffic violations could predict vehicle crashes in Korea. Greater resources should be assigned to the provision of traffic safety education programs for the high-risk driver groups.

  7. Passengers at risk: a multi-level analysis of the decision to travel with a drunk driver.

    PubMed

    Nazif-Muñoz, José Ignacio; Blank-Gomel, Aharon

    2017-06-01

    To assess the impact of demographic, intrapersonal and environmental factors on the likelihood in Chile of becoming a passenger of an alcohol-impaired driver (PAID). Multi-level cross-sectional study. Data were acquired from two large-scale household surveys of representative samples of Chile's Metropolitan Region. The study included 1341 individuals ≥ 16 years; 696 of them reported engaging in PAID. The primary outcome was self-reported frequencies of having accepted a ride with an alcohol-impaired driver. PAID was associated significantly with 'age' [odds ratio (OR) = 0.99, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.98-0.99, P = 0.03], 'traffic safety beliefs' (OR = 0.17, 95% CI = 0.078-0.44, P = 0.00), 'time exposure as passenger' (OR = 1.00, 95% CI = 1.00-1.01, P = 0.00) and 'sex' (OR = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.53-0.87, P = 0.00). In women, PAID was associated with 'age' (OR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.97-0.99, P = 0.02), 'traffic safety beliefs' (OR = 0.17, 95% CI = 0.05-0.59, P = 0.00) and 'low quality of public bus stops' (OR = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.98-0.99, P = 0.01). Younger women with high education levels were more likely to engage in PAID than younger women with low education levels. In men, PAID was associated with 'traffic safety beliefs' (OR = 0.13, 95% CI = 0.02-0.63, P = 0.01) and 'time exposure as passenger' (OR = 1.00, 95% CI = 1.00-1.01, P = 0.02). In Chile, men are at higher risk of becoming a passenger of an alcohol-impaired driver (PAID) than women. In women, PAID appears to be associated with lower traffic safety beliefs, lower quality of public bus stations and an interaction between education and age. In men, PAID is associated with lower traffic safety beliefs and higher time exposure as passenger. © 2017 Society for the Study of Addiction.

  8. The Association of Ethnic Pride With Health and Social Outcomes Among Young Black and Latino Men After Release From Jail

    PubMed Central

    Upadhyayula, Satyasree; Ramaswamy, Megha; Chalise, Prabhakar; Daniels, Jessie; Freudenberg, Nicholas

    2015-01-01

    The goal of this study was to understand whether ethnic pride among young, incarcerated Black and Latino men was associated with successful community reentry. We interviewed 397 Black and Latino men 16 to 18 years old in a New York City jail and then again 1 year after their release to determine the relationship between participants' sense of ethnic pride during incarceration, and substance use, violence, recidivism, and education/ employment after release from jail. Participants with higher ethnic pride scores were less likely to engage in illegal activities and be reincarcerated. Ethnic pride was also associated with feeling safe in gangs and positive attitudes toward avoiding violence in situations of conflict. Ethnic pride was not associated with substance use, education, or engagement in community-based organizations post release. This study demonstrated that ethnic pride might be a source of strength that young men of color can harness for successful community reentry after release from jail. PMID:29176915

  9. Do the presence of Barr bodies in male jail inmates indicates criminality: A pilot study

    PubMed Central

    Kulkarni, Mayuri K; Somannavar, Pradeep D; Kotrashetti, Vijayalakshmi; Nayak, Ramakant; Hosmani, Jagadish; Babji, Deepa

    2016-01-01

    Background: Cytogenetic studies from past decades have shown that interphase cells of female cats contain a densely stained chromatin mass in their nuclei called as Barr bodies (BBs) named after the scientist Murray Barr. BBs are unique chromatin structures formed due to the condensation of the X-chromosome. Many psychopathic disorders originate from defective genes including the multiple X syndromes. Males with extra X-chromosome generally present with severe personality disorder. The present study was conducted to determine the presence of extra X-chromosome in male jail inmates through the detection of BB in peripheral blood and buccal smear. Materials and Methods: Study included 100 male subjects (fifty jail inmates and fifty controls), after obtaining the consent, peripheral blood smears (PBS) and buccal smears (BS) were prepared and stained using Leishman's and cresyl violet stain respectively. One hundred neutrophils in PBS and epithelial cells in BS were screened for detection of the BB; accumulated data were tabulated and statistically analyzed using t-test and Chi-square test. Results: 60% of cases in PBS and 36% in BS showed positivity for the presence of BB in jail inmates as compared to 14% of cases in PBS and none in BS were positive for BB in controls. Conclusion: Presence of BB in male suggests increased likelihood of criminal tendencies. Further studies are to be carried out to compare the results with karyotyping. PMID:27194855

  10. Are We There yet? Screening Processes for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Jail Settings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scheyett, Anna; Vaughn, Jennie; Taylor, Melissa; Parish, Susan

    2009-01-01

    Early identification of intellectual and developmental disabilities in persons in the criminal justice system is essential to protect their rights during arrest and trial, ensure safety when incarcerated, and maximize the opportunities to receive services while incarcerated and postrelease. Using telephone interviews of jail administrators (N =…

  11. Age of first intoxication, heavy drinking, driving after drinking and risk of unintentional injury among U.S. college students.

    PubMed

    Hingson, Ralph; Heeren, Timothy; Zakocs, Ronda; Winter, Michael; Wechsler, Henry

    2003-01-01

    This study explored whether college students who were first intoxicated by alcohol at ages younger than 19 are more likely to become alcohol dependent and frequent heavy drinkers, drive after drinking, ride with intoxicated drivers and be injured after drinking. It also investigated whether these results occur because these students believe they can drink more and still drive legally and safely. In 1999, 14,138 of 23,751 full-time 4-year students from a random sample of 119 college and universities nationwide completed self-administered questionnaires (response rate: 60%). This analysis focused on 12,550 who were aged 19 or older. Respondents were asked the age at which they first got drunk, as well as questions about recent alcohol-related behaviors and consequences. Compared with respondents first drunk at age 19 or older, those first drunk prior to age 19 were significantly more likely to be alcohol dependent and frequent heavy drinkers, to report driving after any drinking, driving after five or more drinks, riding with a driver who was high or drunk and, after drinking, sustaining injuries that required medical attention. Respondents first intoxicated at younger ages believed they could consume more drinks and still drive safely and legally; this contributed to their greater likelihood of driving after drinking and riding with high or drunk drivers. Educational, clinical, environmental and legal interventions are needed to delay age of first intoxication and to correct misperceptions among adolescents first drunk at an early age about how much they can drink and still drive safely and legally.

  12. Female Veterans in Jail Diversion Programs: Differences From and Similarities to Their Male Peers.

    PubMed

    Stainbrook, Kristin; Hartwell, Stephanie; James, Amy

    2016-01-01

    This study compared the demographic, behavioral health, criminal justice, and military characteristics and experiences of female and male veterans participating in criminal justice diversion programs funded under the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Jail Diversion and Trauma Recovery program. Data on program participants were collected as part of a national cross-site evaluation. Baseline interview data from 1,025 program participants were analyzed. For the most part, there were few statistically significant differences between female and male veterans with criminal justice involvement. However, females reported significantly more sexual trauma, more females had PTSD, and females had more severe PTSD symptoms. In contrast, males reported earlier criminal justice involvement, more males served in military combat, and males had higher rates of substance use. Although male and female veterans involved in jail diversion programs share many characteristics, the differences in types of trauma exposure and rates of substance use suggest that programs should include attention to gender in planning program services.

  13. A Randomized Study of the Use of Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) for Drug and Alcohol Use with Jail Inmates

    PubMed Central

    Prendergast, Michael L.; McCollister, Kathryn; Warda, Umme

    2017-01-01

    Background Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) is an evidence-based practice that has been shown to reduce alcohol and drug use in healthcare, educational, and other settings, but research on the effectiveness of SBIRT with populations involved in the criminal justice system is limited. These populations have high rates of substance use but have limited access to interventions. Methods The study randomized 732 jail inmates from a large urban jail to the SBIRT intervention or to the control group. Using the Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST), the intervention assessed the risk level for drug and alcohol misuse by inmates and provided those who were at low or medium risk with a brief intervention in jail and referred those at high risk to community treatment following release, including the opportunity to participate in a brief treatment (eight sessions) protocol. Using interview and records data from a 12-month follow-up, analyses compared the two groups with respect to the primary study outcomes of reductions in drug and alcohol use and the secondary outcomes of participation in treatment, rearrest, reduction in HIV risk behaviors, and quality of life. In addition, the costs of delivering the SBIRT intervention were calculated. Results When baseline differences were controlled, the groups did not differ at follow-up on any of the primary or secondary outcomes. Conclusions Future research should develop and evaluate SBIRT models that are specifically adapted to the characteristics and needs of the jail population. Until more favorable results emerge, attempts to use SBIRT with jail inmates should be implemented with caution, if at all. PMID:28132701

  14. Jail-to-community treatment continuum for adults with co-occurring substance use and mental disorders: study protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Van Dorn, Richard A; Desmarais, Sarah L; Rade, Candalyn B; Burris, Elizabeth N; Cuddeback, Gary S; Johnson, Kiersten L; Tueller, Stephen J; Comfort, Megan L; Mueser, Kim T

    2017-08-04

    Adults with co-occurring mental and substance use disorders (CODs) are overrepresented in jails. In-custody barriers to treatment, including a lack of evidence-based treatment options and the often short periods of incarceration, and limited communication between jails and community-based treatment agencies that can hinder immediate enrollment into community care once released have contributed to a cycle of limited treatment engagement, unaddressed criminogenic risks, and (re)arrest among this vulnerable and high-risk population. This paper describes a study that will develop research and communication protocols and adapt two evidence-based treatments, dual-diagnosis motivational interviewing (DDMI) and integrated group therapy (IGT), for delivery to adults with CODs across a jail-to-community treatment continuum. Adaptations to DDMI and IGT were guided by the Risk-Need-Responsivity model and the National Institute of Corrections' implementation competencies; the development of the implementation framework and communication protocols were guided by the Evidence-Based Interagency Implementation Model for community corrections and the Inter-organizational Relationship model, respectively. Implementation and evaluation of the protocols and adapted interventions will occur via an open trial and a pilot randomized trial. The clinical intervention consists of two in-jail DDMI sessions and 12 in-community IGT sessions. Twelve adults with CODs and four clinicians will participate in the open trial to evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of, and fidelity to, the interventions and research and communication protocols. The pilot controlled trial will be conducted with 60 inmates who will be randomized to either DDMI-IGT or treatment as usual. A baseline assessment will be conducted in jail, and four community-based assessments will be conducted during a 6-month follow-up period. Implementation, clinical, public health, and treatment preference outcomes will be evaluated

  15. Evaluation of XIENCE V everolimus-eluting and Taxus Express2 paclitaxel-eluting coronary stents in patients with jailed side branches from the SPIRIT IV trial at 2 years.

    PubMed

    Forrest, John K; Lansky, Alexandra J; Meller, Stephanie M; Hou, Liming; Sood, Poornima; Applegate, Robert J; Wang, John C; Skelding, Kimberly A; Shah, Aakar; Kereiakes, Dean J; Sudhir, Krishnankutty; Cristea, Ecaterina; Yaqub, Manejeh; Stone, Gregg W

    2013-06-01

    The aim of this study was to determine whether patients from the Clinical Evaluation of the XIENCE V Everolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System in the Treatment of Patients With de Novo Native Coronary Artery Lesions (SPIRIT) IV trial who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention, who had target lesions with jailed side branches, had improved clinical outcomes when treated with the XIENCE V versus Taxus Express(2) drug-eluting stent. In the SPIRIT III randomized trial, patients with target lesions with jailed side branches after XIENCE V compared with Taxus Express(2) implantation had lower 2-year rates of major adverse cardiac events. The SPIRIT IV trial represents a larger more diverse patient population compared with SPIRIT III. In the large-scale, prospective, multicenter, randomized SPIRIT IV trial, 3,687 patients who underwent coronary stenting with up to 3 de novo native coronary artery lesions were randomized 2:1 to receive XIENCE V versus Taxus Express(2) stents. Two-year clinical outcomes of patients with or without jailed side branches after stenting were compared. A jailed side branch was defined as any side branch >1.0 mm in diameter within the target segment being stented, excluding bifurcations deemed to require treatment. Of the 3,687 patients in SPIRIT IV, a total of 1,426 had side branches that were jailed during angioplasty of the target lesion. Patients with jailed side branches after XIENCE V compared with Taxus Express(2) implantation had significantly lower 2-year rates of target lesion failure (6.5% vs 11.9%, p = 0.001), major adverse cardiac events (6.6% vs 12.2%, p = 0.0008), ischemia-driven target vessel revascularization (4.1% vs 7.9%, p = 0.004), and stent thrombosis (0.6% vs 2.8%, p = 0.001). In conclusion, patients with jailed side branches after stenting with XIENCE V compared to Taxus Express(2) devices had superior clinical outcomes at 2 years in the large-scale randomized SPIRIT IV trial. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All

  16. Sociologist Jailed Because He "Wouldn't Snitch" Ponders the Way Research Ought to Be Done.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Monaghan, Peter

    1993-01-01

    A Washington doctoral candidate in sociology is jailed for contempt of court for not revealing conversations with animal-rights activists in a grand jury investigation of a research laboratory raid at his institution. The graduate student refused to breach an American Sociological Association pledge of scholarly confidentiality. (MSE)

  17. Implementation of a hepatitis A/B vaccination program using an accelerated schedule among high-risk inmates, Los Angeles County Jail, 2007-2010.

    PubMed

    Costumbrado, John; Stirland, Ali; Cox, Garrett; El-Amin, Alvin Nelson; Miranda, Armidia; Carter, Ann; Malek, Mark

    2012-11-06

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend vaccination for men who have sex with men (MSM) and injection drug users against hepatitis A and B. This study is the first report of a hepatitis vaccination program in a United States jail with a combined vaccine using an accelerated schedule. Los Angeles County has the largest jail system in the nation and Men's Central Jail (MCJ) is the largest facility within that system. MCJ includes a unit for self-identified MSM, where approximately 2700 inmates are housed per year. Starting in August 2007, a combined hepatitis A and B vaccine was offered to all inmates housed in this special unit. Using an accelerated schedule (0-, 7-, 21-30 days, 12-month booster), a total of 3931 doses were administered to 1633 inmates as of June 2010. Of those, 77% received 2 doses, 58% received 3 doses, and 11% received the booster dose. Inmates who screened positive for a sexually transmitted infection in this unit were 1.3 times more likely to be vaccinated (95% CI 1.2-1.4) compared to others in the same housing unit who screened negative. Hepatitis vaccination initiatives can be successfully implemented in an urban jail among an extremely high-risk population using the accelerated, combined hepatitis A/B vaccine. Ours may be a useful model for other programs to vaccinate incarcerated populations. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Efficacy and process of cognitive bibliotherapy for the treatment of depression in jail and prison inmates.

    PubMed

    Pardini, Jamie; Scogin, Forrest; Schriver, Jennifer; Domino, Marla; Wilson, Dawn; LaRocca, Michael

    2014-05-01

    The purpose of this two-study project was to determine the effects of cognitive bibliotherapy for the treatment of depressive symptoms in jail and prison inmates. Participants in both samples were randomly assigned to either a treatment group that received the 4-week bibliotherapy program or a delayed-treatment control group. In the jail sample, which served as a pilot study for the more detailed prison study, the treatment group showed greater improvement on the A. T. Beck and R. A. Steer Beck Depression Inventory, 1993, Psychological Corporation, San Antonio, TX and the DAS (M. M. Weissman, & A. T. Beck Development and validation of the Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale: A preliminary investigation; paper presented at the meeting of the American Educational Research Association, November, 1978, Toronto, ON, Canada). In the prison sample, results indicated that the treatment group showed greater improvement on the HRSD (M. Hamilton, Development of a rating scale for primary depressive illness, British Journal of Social & Clinical Psychology, Vol. 6, 1967, pp. 278-296) and the A. T. Beck, R. A. Steer, & G. K. Brown Beck Depression Inventory (2nd ed.), 1996, Psychological Corporation, San Antonio, TX. Approximately half of the treated participants achieved clinically significant change. Analyses of the follow-up data revealed maintenance of treatment gains in the prison and jail samples. In the prison study, significant changes were also observed on a general measure of psychological distress. Overall, results suggest that cognitive bibliotherapy may be efficacious for depressed inmates. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

  19. Understanding Gang Membership and Crime Victimization among Jail Inmates: Testing the Effects of Self-Control

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fox, Kathleen A.; Lane, Jodi; Akers, Ronald L.

    2013-01-01

    Although previous research has examined factors related to gang membership and offending, research on the relationship between gangs and victimization is limited. The present study builds on previous research and examines gang membership, victimization, and self-control among 2,414 jail inmates. Results from self-report surveys indicate that gang…

  20. Jail Diversion for Persons with Serious Mental Illness Coordinated by a Prosecutor's Office

    PubMed Central

    2017-01-01

    Persons with serious mental illnesses (SMI) are involved in the criminal justice system at a disproportionately higher rate than the general population. While the exact causes remain unclear, it is accepted that a comprehensive strategy including mental health treatment is needed to reduce recidivism. This paper describes a unique jail diversion program coordinated by a county prosecutor's office in which individuals were diverted towards mental health services including case management, community-based services, and housing supports. Outcomes were studied over a five-year period, beyond the typical 12- to 24-month follow-up in other studies. Individuals who completed the program, compared to those who did not complete it, were at lower risk for being rearrested, arrested fewer times, and incarcerated fewer days. Gains were moderated by previous criminal justice involvement and substance use but, nevertheless, were maintained despite severity of history. The strongest gains were seen while the individual was still actively enrolled in the diversion services and these outcomes were maintained for up to four years. These findings suggest that completion of a jail diversion program facilitated by a prosecutor's office can lower recidivism and days incarcerated. Further research is needed to assess the unique contribution of prosecutor office facilitation. PMID:29333452

  1. Pathways into prostitution among female jail detainees and their implications for mental health services.

    PubMed

    McClanahan, S F; McClelland, G M; Abram, K M; Teplin, L A

    1999-12-01

    To explore the service needs of women in jail, the authors examined three pathways into prostitution: childhood sexual victimization, running away, and drug use. Studies typically have explored only one or two of these pathways, and the relationships among the three points of entry remain unclear. Data on 1,142 female jail detainees were used to examine the effects of childhood sexual victimization, running away, and drug use on entry into prostitution and their differential effects over the life course. Two distinct pathways into prostitution were identified. Running away had a dramatic effect on entry into prostitution in early adolescence, but little effect later in the life course. Childhood sexual victimization, by contrast, nearly doubled the odds of entry into prostitution throughout the lives of women. Although the prevalence of drug use was significantly higher among prostitutes than among nonprostitutes, drug abuse did not explain entry into prostitution. Running away and childhood sexual victimization provide distinct pathways into prostitution. The findings suggest that women wishing to leave prostitution may benefit from different mental health service strategies depending on which pathway to prostitution they experienced.

  2. Signs of Suicide: Using Road Drawings with Inmates on Suicide Observation at a County Jail

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanes, Michael J.

    2008-01-01

    Suicide is a leading cause of death in jails. This article discusses the use of road drawings as part of a clinical interview by an art therapist to evaluate an inmate's risk for self-harm. Following an overview of suicide in correctional settings, the rationale and procedure for administering road drawings are explained. Examples produced by…

  3. Sociodemographic factors associated with aggressive driving behaviors of 3-wheeler taxi drivers in Sri Lanka.

    PubMed

    Akalanka, Ediriweera Chintana; Fujiwara, Takeo; Desapriya, Ediriweera; Peiris, Dinithi C; Scime, Giulia

    2012-01-01

    Little is known about the nature and scope of aggressive driving in developing countries. The objective of this study is to specifically examine the sociodemographic factors associated with aggressive driving behavior among 3-wheeler taxi drivers in Sri Lanka. Convenience samples of 3-wheeler taxi drivers from Rathnapura, Ahaliyagoda, Sri Lanka were surveyed from June to August 2006. Analyses included bivariate and multivariate logistic regression. Drivers with less than high school education were 3.5 times more likely to drive aggressively (odds ratio [OR] = 3.46; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.08, 11.1). Single drivers were 9 times more likely to run red lights (OR = 8.74; 95% CI = 2.18, 35.0), and being single was a major risk factor for drunk driving (OR = 4.80; 95% CI = 1.23, 18.7). Furthermore, high school completers were 4 times more likely to bribe a policeman (OR = 4.27; 95% CI = 1.23, 14.9) when caught violating the road rules. Aggressive driving and risk-taking behavior are amenable to policy initiatives, and preventive programs targeted at key groups could be used to improve road safety in Sri Lanka. This study demonstrates that aggressive driving behavior is associated with sociodemographic factors, including the level of education, marital status, and other socioeconomic factors. Hence, economic factors should be addressed to find solutions to traffic-related issues. It will be the government's and policy makers' responsibility to try and understand the economic factors behind risky road behavior and bribe-taking behavior prior to legislating or enforcing new laws.

  4. An exploratory study of mental health and HIV risk behavior among drug-using rural women in jail

    PubMed Central

    Staton-Tindall, Michele; Harp, Kathi LH; Minieri, Alexandra; Oser, Carrie; Webster, J. Matthew; Havens, Jennifer; Leukefeld, Carl

    2014-01-01

    Objective Rural women, particularly those involved in the criminal justice system, are at risk for HIV due to the increasing prevalence of injection drug use, as well as limited services. Research on HIV risk correlates, including drug use and mental health, has primarily focused on urban women incarcerated in prisons. The purpose of this exploratory study is to examine dual HIV risk behavior by three different mental health problems (depression, anxiety, and PTSD) among drug-using women in rural jails. Methods This study involved random selection, screening, and face-to-face interviews with 136 women from rural jails in one Appalachian state. Analyses focused on the relationship between mental health and HIV risk among this sample of drug-using women. Findings Nearly 80% of women self-reported symptoms of depression, and more than 60% endorsed symptoms consistent with anxiety and PTSD symptoms. Mental health was significantly correlated with severity of certain types of drug use, as well as risky sexual activity. In addition, for women experiencing anxiety and PTSD, injection drug use moderated the relationship between mental health and risky sexual activity. Implications Based on these rates of drug use, mental health problems, and the emergence of injection drug use in rural Appalachia, the need to explore the relationships between these issues among vulnerable and understudied populations, such as rural women, is critical. Due to service limitations in rural communities, criminal justice venues such as jails provide opportune settings for screening, assessment, and intervention for drug use, mental health, and HIV education and prevention. PMID:25799305

  5. Evaluating the Impact of Criminalizing Drunk Driving on Road-Traffic Injuries in Guangzhou, China: A Time-Series Study

    PubMed Central

    Zhao, Ang; Chen, Renjie; Qi, Yongqing; Chen, Ailan; Chen, Xinyu; Liang, Zijing; Ye, Jianjun; Liang, Qing; Guo, Duanqiang; Li, Wanglin; Li, Shuangming; Kan, Haidong

    2016-01-01

    Background Road-traffic injury (RTI) is a major public-health concern worldwide. However, the effectiveness of laws criminalizing drunk driving on the improvement of road safety in China is not known. Methods We collected daily aggregate data on RTIs from the Guangzhou First-Aid Service Command Center from 2009 to 2012. We performed an interrupted time-series analysis to evaluate the change in daily RTIs before (January 1, 2009, to April 30, 2011) and after (May 1, 2011, to December 31, 2012) the criminalization of drunk driving. We evaluated the impact of the intervention on RTIs using the overdispersed generalized additive model after adjusting for temporal trends, seasonality, day of the week, and holidays. Daytime/Nighttime RTIs, alcoholism, and non-traffic injuries were analyzed as comparison groups using the same model. Results From January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2012, we identified a total of 54 887 RTIs. The standardized daily number of RTIs was almost stable in the pre-intervention period but decreased gradually in the post-intervention period. After the intervention, the standardized daily RTIs decreased 9.6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 6.5%–12.8%). There were similar decreases for the daily daytime and nighttime RTIs. In contrast, the standardized daily cases of alcoholism increased 38.8% (95% CI, 35.1%–42.4%), and daily non-traffic injuries increased 3.6% (95% CI, 1.4%–5.8%). Conclusions This time-series study provides scientific evidence suggesting that the criminalization of drunk driving from May 1, 2011, may have led to moderate reductions in RTIs in Guangzhou, China. PMID:26947952

  6. 76 FR 80966 - Solicitation for a Cooperative Agreement-Jail as Part of County Government: Review and Revision

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-12-27

    ... as Part of County Government include (1) the jail's role in the local criminal justice system, (2... familiar with the current lesson plans, presentation slides, participant manual, and other training... curriculum review. Curriculum review meeting with NIC staff: After becoming familiar with the curriculum, the...

  7. Effects of different blood alcohol concentrations and post-alcohol impairment on driving behavior and task performance.

    PubMed

    Liu, Yung-Ching; Ho, Chin Heng

    2010-08-01

    A study using simulator methodology was conducted to investigate the effects of (1) different blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) of 0, 0.05, 0.08, and 0.10 percent and (2) post-alcohol impairment (where BAC approximately 0%) on driving behavior and subsidiary cognitive task performance. Two driving sessions were investigated, that is, drunk driving and post-alcohol driving, with each requiring approximately 20 min of driving. In addition to driving safely, participants were instructed to perform the critical flicker fusion (CFF) test and completed the NASA-TLX mental workload questionnaire. Eight licensed drivers (6 males, 2 females) participated in this 2 (road complexities) x 2 (simulated driving sessions) x 4 (levels of BAC) within-subjects experiment. The study revealed that higher BAC levels were associated with lower performing driving behavior. The driver's mental workload reached the highest values in the post-alcohol session. In terms of tasks involving divided attention, the traffic sign distance estimation showed significant deterioration with increased BAC levels. The relationship between drunk-driving behavior and alcohol dosage was supported in this study. Noticeably, no significant difference was found between drunk driving and post-alcohol driving, indicating that even in the post-alcohol situation, the impairment still remained significant enough to jeopardize traffic safety as much as it does in the case of drunk driving. In real-life situations, adopting a rest-time strategy to avoid post-alcohol impairment effects may not be the most appropriate solution by drivers; rather, drivers should be given some tests to verify the probability of post-alcohol effects on driving.

  8. Association between Self-Reports of Being High and Perceptions about the Safety of Drugged and Drunk Driving

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Allen, Jane A.; Davis, Kevin C.; Duke, Jennifer C.; Nonnemaker, James M.; Bradfield, Brian R.; Farrelly, Matthew C.; Novak, Scott P.; Zarkin, Gary A.

    2016-01-01

    This study examines the relationship between self-reports of being high on marijuana and perceptions about driving high or drunk. Data were collected in 2014 from an online convenience sample of adult, past 30-day marijuana and hashish users in Colorado and Washington (n = 865). Respondents were asked, "Were you high or feeling the effects of…

  9. DRINKING TO GET DRUNK AMONG INCOMING FRESHMEN COLLEGE STUDENTS.

    PubMed

    Boekeloo, Bradley O; Novik, Melinda Griffin; Bush, Elizabeth

    2011-01-03

    This study examined college freshmen who intentionally drink alcohol to get drunk (DTGD). Survey data from 307 incoming freshmen college students living in freshmen residence halls who reported drinking alcohol in the last 30 days were analyzed. The majority (76.9%) of these self-reported drinkers reported DTGD. Relative to other freshmen drinkers, those who reported DTGD were significantly more likely to have consumed alcohol before going out to a party or bar, participated in a drinking game, drank heavily on a non-school night but not on a school night, used liquor, used beer, combined alcohol and drugs, experienced a hangover, vomited, passed out, and/or blacked out. The associations support DTGD as a measure of pre-meditated, controlled, and intentional consumption of alcohol to reach a state of inebriation. Common intentional drunkenness as observed in this study population may have implications for college alcohol risk reduction programs.

  10. A Green Prison: Santa Rita Jail Creeps Towards Zero Net Energy (ZNE)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Marnay, Chris; DeForest, Nicholas; Stadler, Michael

    2011-03-18

    A large project is underway at Alameda County's twenty-year old 45 ha 4,000-inmate Santa Rita Jail, about 70 km east of San Francisco. Often described as a green prison, it has a considerable installed base of distributed energy resources including a seven-year old 1.2 MW PV array, a four-year old 1 MW fuel cell with heat recovery, and efficiency investments. A current US$14 M expansion will add approximately 2 MW of NaS batteries, and undetermined wind capacity and a concentrating solar thermal system. This ongoing effort by a progressive local government with considerable Federal and State support provides some excellentmore » lessons for the struggle to lower building carbon footprint. The Distributed Energy Resources Customer Adoption Model (DER-CAM) finds true optimal combinations of equipment and operating schedules for microgrids that minimize energy bills and/or carbon emissions without 2 of 12 significant searching or rules-of-thumb prioritization, such as"efficiency first then on-site generation." The results often recommend complex systems, and sensitivities show how policy changes will affect choices. This paper reports an analysis of the historic performance of the PV system and fuel cell, describes the complex optimization applied to the battery scheduling, and shows how results will affect the jail's operational costs, energy consumption, and carbon footprint. DER-CAM is used to assess the existing and proposed DER equipment in its ability to reduce tariff charges.« less

  11. The Rule of Law and Civil Disobedience: The Case behind King's Letter from a Birmingham Jail

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kaplan, Howard

    2013-01-01

    Fifty years ago, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote his "Letter from a Birmingham Jail." In exploring the story of the events behind the essay, and the Supreme Court case that resulted, "Walker v. Birmingham", 399 U.S. 307 (1967), educators will find a pedagogically powerful lens through which to review the seminal…

  12. Official blame for drivers with very low blood alcohol content: there is no safe combination of drinking and driving.

    PubMed

    Phillips, David P; Sousa, Ana Luiza R; Moshfegh, Rebecca T

    2015-04-01

    Some laboratory studies find that driving is impaired even at blood alcohol content (BAC)=0.01%. However, no real-world traffic studies have investigated whether minimally 'buzzed' drivers (BAC=0.01%) are more likely to be blamed for a crash than are the sober drivers they collide with. To determine whether official blame for a crash increases significantly at BAC=0.01%. We examined the relationship between the driver's BAC and the degree to which he or she was assigned sole official blame (SOB) for the crash. We analysed an official, exhaustive, nationwide US database (Fatality Analysis Reporting System; n=570 731), covering 1994-2011. Even minimally 'buzzed' drivers are 46% (24-72%) more likely to be officially blamed for a crash than are the sober drivers they collide with (χ(2)=20.45; p=0.000006). There is no threshold effect-no sudden transition from blameless to blamed drivers at BAC=0.08% (the US legal limit). Instead, SOB increases smoothly and strongly with BAC (r=0.98 (0.96-0.99) for male drivers, p<0.000001; r=0.99 (0.97-0.99) for female drivers, p<0.000001). This near-linear SOB-to-BAC relationship begins at BAC=0.01% and ends around BAC=0.24%. Our findings persist after controlling for many confounding variables. There appears to be no safe combination of drinking and driving-even minimally 'buzzed' drivers pose increased risk to themselves and to others. Concerns about drunk driving should also be extended to 'buzzed' driving. US legislators should reduce the legal BAC limit, perhaps to 0.05%, as in most European countries. Lowering the legal BAC limit is likely to reduce injuries and save lives. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  13. The Highway Safety Mass Media Youth Project: A Media Campaign Aimed at Drunk Driving and Seat Belt Use.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blosser, Betsy J.; And Others

    To address the issues of drunk driving and failure to use car restraints among teens and young adults, a 21-month-long media campaign has been developed especially for the 15- to 24-year-old audience to compare the effectiveness of paid advertisements and public service announcements. A formative research approach to message design will be used to…

  14. Gender differences and demographic influences in perceived concern for driver safety and support for impaired driving countermeasures.

    PubMed

    Butters, Jennifer; Mann, Robert E; Wickens, Christine M; Boase, Paul

    2012-12-01

    Driving safety, impaired driving, and legislation to address these concerns remain important issues. It is imperative countermeasures be targeted toward the most appropriate groups. This paper explores the potential relationship between gender and driving attitudes toward safety issues and impaired-driving countermeasures. The data are from the 2007 Impaired Driving Survey commissioned by Transport Canada and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Canada. The survey is a, stratified by region, telephone survey of 1,514 Canadian drivers 18years of age and older with a valid driver's license who had driven within the past 30days. The findings illustrate a consistent impact of gender on these issues. Other variables were also identified as relevant factors although less consistently. Current findings suggest that strategies for building support for interventions, or for changing risk perception/concern for risky driving behaviors should be tailored by gender to maximize the potential for behavior change. This information may assist program and policy developers through the identification of more or less receptive target groups. Future research directions are also presented. Copyright © 2012 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Programs across the United States that aid motorists in the reporting of impaired drivers to law enforcement

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2007-03-01

    The objective of this project was to identify States that use a statewide cellular drunk driving reporting program which provides free airtime and allows motorists with cell phones to dial a special number (such as *DUI) to report suspected drunk dri...

  16. Road traffic crashes among farm vehicle drivers in southern China: A cross-sectional survey.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Xujun; Yang, Yaming; Chen, Yu; Yao, Hongyan; Wu, Ming; Cui, Mengjing; Li, Yang; Hu, Jie; Zhang, Cong; Li, Zhen; Stallones, Lorann; Xiang, Huiyun

    2017-01-02

    The objective of this study was to identify the prevalence and potential risk factors of farm vehicle-related road traffic crashes among farm vehicle drivers in southern China. A cross-sectional study was used to interview 1,422 farm vehicle drivers in southern China. Farm vehicle-related road traffic crashes that occurred from December 2013 to November 2014 were investigated. Data on farm vehicle-related road traffic crashes and related factors were collected by face-to-face interviews. The prevalence of farm vehicle-related road traffic crashes among the investigated drivers was 7.2%. Farm vehicle-related road traffic crashes were significantly associated with self-reported vision problem (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 6.48, 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.86-10.87), self-reported sleep disorders (AOR = 10.03, 95% CI, 6.28-15.99), self-reported stress (AOR = 20.47, 95% CI, 9.96-42.08), reported history of crashes (AOR = 5.40, 95% CI, 3.47-8.42), reported history of drunk driving (AOR = 5.07, 95% CI, 2.97-8.65), and reported history of fatigued driving (AOR = 5.72, 95% CI, 3.73-8.78). The number of road traffic crashes was highest in the daytime and during harvest season. In over 96% of farm vehicle-related road traffic crashes, drivers were believed to be responsible for the crash. Major crash-causing factors included improper driving, careless driving, violating of traffic signals or signs, and being in the wrong lane. Findings of this study suggest that farm vehicle-related road traffic crashes have become a burgeoning public health problem in China. Programs need to be developed to prevent farm vehicle-related road traffic crashes in this emerging country.

  17. The Recidivism Patterns of Previously Deported Aliens Released from a Local Jail: Are They High-Risk Offenders?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hickman, Laura J.; Suttorp, Marika J.

    2010-01-01

    Previously deported aliens are a group about which numerous claims are made but very few facts are known. Using data on male deportable aliens released from a local jail, the study sought to test the ubiquitous claim that they pose a high risk of recidivism. Using multiple measures of recidivism and propensity score weighting to account for…

  18. General Motor Vehicle Drivers' Knowledge and Practices Regarding Drink Driving in Yinchuan and Guangzhou, China.

    PubMed

    Jia, Keqin; King, Mark; Fleiter, Judy; Sheehan, Mary; Ma, Wenjun; Lei, Jing; Zhang, Jianzhen

    2015-01-01

    Drink driving contributes to significant levels of injury and economic loss in China but is not well researched. This study examined knowledge, drink-driving practices, and alcohol misuse problems among general drivers in Yinchuan. The objectives were to gain a better understanding of drink driving in Yinchuan, identify areas that need to be addressed, and compare the results with a similar study in Guangzhou. This was a cross-sectional study with a survey designed to collect information on participants' demographic characteristics and their knowledge and practices in relation to drinking and driving. The survey was composed of questions on knowledge and practices in relation to drink driving and was administered to a convenience sample of 406 drivers. Alcohol misuse problems were assessed by using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Males accounted for the main proportion of drivers sampled from the general population ("general drivers"). A majority of general drivers in both cities knew that drunk driving had become a criminal offense in 2011; however, knowledge of 2 legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limits was quite low. Fewer drivers in Yinchuan (22.6%) than in Guangzhou (27.9) reported having been stopped by police conducting breath alcohol testing at least once in the last 12 months. The mean AUDIT score in Yinchuan (M = 8.2) was higher than that in Guangzhou (M = 7.4), and the proportion of Yinchuan drivers with medium or higher alcohol misuse problems (31.2%) was correspondingly higher than in Guangzhou (23.1%). In Yinchuan, males had a significantly higher AUDIT score than females (t = 3.454, P <.001), similar to Guangzhou. Multiple regression analyses were conducted on potential predictors of the AUDIT score (age, gender, monthly income, education level, years licensed, and age started drinking). There were significant individual contributions of gender (beta = 0.173, P =.09) and age at which drinking started (beta = 0.141, P

  19. The opportunities and challenges of multi-site evaluations: lessons from the jail diversion and trauma recovery national cross-site evaluation.

    PubMed

    Stainbrook, Kristin; Penney, Darby; Elwyn, Laura

    2015-06-01

    Multi-site evaluations, particularly of federally funded service programs, pose a special set of challenges for program evaluation. Not only are there contextual differences related to project location, there are often relatively few programmatic requirements, which results in variations in program models, target populations and services. The Jail Diversion and Trauma Recovery-Priority to Veterans (JDTR) National Cross-Site Evaluation was tasked with conducting a multi-site evaluation of thirteen grantee programs that varied along multiple domains. This article describes the use of a mixed methods evaluation design to understand the jail diversion programs and client outcomes for veterans with trauma, mental health and/or substance use problems. We discuss the challenges encountered in evaluating diverse programs, the benefits of the evaluation in the face of these challenges, and offer lessons learned for other evaluators undertaking this type of evaluation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Policing the drunk driver: measuring law enforcement involvement in reducing alcohol-impaired driving.

    PubMed

    Dula, Chris S; Dwyer, William O; LeVerne, Gilbert

    2007-01-01

    will be necessary as will a diversification of abatement efforts, including an increase in aggressive social marketing tactics to positively impact our traffic safety culture by making DUI universally unacceptable (for a discussion of this latter issue and on the use of positive reinforcement to change driver behavior, see Dula & Geller, 2007).

  1. Drinking, cannabis use and driving among Ontario students.

    PubMed

    Adlaf, Edward M; Mann, Robert E; Paglia, Angela

    2003-03-04

    Little is known about the risk of injury among adolescents who drive after the use of alcohol or cannabis or ride in cars driven by drunk drivers. We examined data from self-administered interviews with 1846 students in grades 7 to 13 who participated in the 2001 Ontario Student Drug Use Survey about their experiences related to alcohol, cannabis and driving during the 12 months preceding the survey. In all, 31.9% of the students reported being a passenger in a car driven by a drunk driver; of the students in grades 10 to 13 who had a driver's licence, 15.1% reported driving within an hour after consuming 2 or more drinks, and 19.7% reported driving within an hour after using cannabis. Our study shows that a sizeable proportion of adolescents are exposed to alcohol- and drug-related driving risks.

  2. A comparison of the cell-phone driver and the drunk driver

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2006-01-01

    Synopsis The authors find no difference in impairment due to hands-free compared to hand-held cell phone use, and that the participants in the two cell phone conditions were involved in more rear-end collisions and reacted 9% more slowly to vehic...

  3. Beyond the Bridge: Evaluating a Novel Mental Health Program in the New York City Jail System

    PubMed Central

    Glowa-Kollisch, Sarah; Lim, Sungwoo; Summers, Cynthia; Cohen, Louise; Selling, Daniel

    2014-01-01

    Objectives. We evaluated Beyond the Bridge, a novel mental health program in the New York City jail system designed to provide residentially based cognitive behavioral therapy in jail mental observation units. Methods. We used propensity score matching and a dose–response analysis. Outcome measures included reduction in violent incidents and fights, reduction in uses of force by corrections officers, reduction in time spent on suicide watch and incidents of self-injurious behavior, and increased length of community survival. Results. There were significant reductions in all outcomes when we compared program participants (n = 218) with an earlier cohort of patients residing on the mental observation unit before programming began (n = 413). However, when we compared program participants with a cohort of other patients residing on the units at the same time but who chose not to participate (n = 267), only time spent on suicide watch unit (rate ratio [RR] = 0.72; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.59, 0.89) and recidivism (RR = 0.70; 95% CI = 0.59,0.83) were significantly reduced. Conclusions. This evaluation and the model we piloted may provide useful information for other settings contemplating similar interventions. PMID:25211737

  4. Decarceration of U.S. jails and prisons: where will persons with serious mental illness go?

    PubMed

    Lamb, H Richard; Weinberger, Linda E

    2014-01-01

    Decarceration (decreasing the number of persons incarcerated in U.S. jails and prisons) has begun. It is estimated that more than 350,000 persons with serious mental illness (SMI) are among those incarcerated in the United States and that many thousands of them will probably be among those released. Currently, the prison population in general is being reduced as a consequence of concerns about overcrowding and of policies and programs such as reclassification of drug possession, which would affect many persons with mental illness. Court-ordered diversion and changes in sentencing guidelines are also serving to reduce prison populations. In recent years, the mental health system did not have to manage as large a number of persons with SMI, especially those who were among the most difficult and expensive to treat, because many of them were incarcerated in jails and prisons. Now, with decarceration and the release of many such persons, the mental health system may be expected to assume more responsibility for them and should be prepared and funded to meet their needs. This population of persons with SMI needs structure and treatment that, depending upon their individual needs, may include 24-hour supportive housing, ACT and FACT teams, assisted outpatient treatment, psychiatric medication, and psychiatric hospitalization. © 2014 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.

  5. A Manual Control Test for the Detection and Deterrence of Impaired Drivers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stein, A. C.; Allen, R. W.; Jex, H. R.

    1984-01-01

    A brief manual control test and a decision strategy were developed, laboratory tested, and field validated which provide a means for detecting human operator impairment from alcohol or other drugs. The test requires the operator to stabilize progressively unstable controlled element dynamics. Control theory and experimental data verify that the human operator's control ability on this task is constrained by basic cybernetic characteristics, and that task performance is reliably affected by impairment effects on these characteristics. Assessment of human operator control ability is determined by a statistically based decision strategy. The operator is allowed several chances to exceed a preset pass criterion. Procedures are described for setting the pass criterion based on individual ability and a desired unimpaired failure rate. These procedures were field tested with apparatus installed in automobiles that were designed to discourage drunk drivers from operating their vehicles. This test program demonstrated that the control task and detection strategy could be applied in a practical setting to screen human operators for impairment in their basic cybernetic skills.

  6. Strategies to reduce driving under the influence of alcohol.

    PubMed

    DeJong, W; Hingson, R

    1998-01-01

    The purpose of this review is to update research on the prevention of alcohol-related traffic deaths since the 1988 Surgeon General's Workshop on Drunk Driving. Four primary areas of research are reviewed here: (a) general deterrence policies, (b) alcohol control policies, (c) mass communications campaigns, including advertising restrictions, and (d) community traffic safety programs. Modern efforts to combat drunk driving in the United States began with specific deterrence strategies to punish convicted drunk drivers, and then evolved to include general deterrence strategies that were targeted to the population as a whole. Efforts next expanded to include the alcohol side of the problem, with measures installed to decrease underage drinking and excessive alcohol consumption. In the next several years, greater efforts are needed on all these fronts. Also needed, however, are programs that integrate drunk driving prevention with other traffic safety initiatives.

  7. Jailed double-microcatheter technique following horizontal stenting for coil embolization of intracranial wide-necked bifurcation aneurysms: A technical report of two cases.

    PubMed

    Kitahara, Takahiro; Hatano, Taketo; Hayase, Makoto; Hattori, Etsuko; Miyakoshi, Akinori; Nakamura, Takehiko

    2017-04-01

    The horizontal stenting technique facilitates endovascular treatment of wide-necked bifurcation intracranial aneurysms. Previous literature shows, however, that subsequent coil embolization at initial treatment results in incomplete obliteration in many cases. The authors present two consecutive cases of wide-necked large bifurcation aneurysms to describe an additional coil embolization technique following horizontal stenting. The patients were a 53-year-old female with an unruptured internal carotid artery terminus aneurysm and a 57-year-old female with a recurrent basilar artery tip aneurysm. Both patients underwent endovascular treatment with horizontal stenting followed by coil embolization with jailed double-microcatheters. Immediate complete obliteration was achieved with no complications, and no recanalization was observed at the one-year follow-up in both cases. Coil embolization with jailed double-microcatheter technique following horizontal stenting is a safe and effective strategy for wide-necked bifurcation aneurysms.

  8. Contribution of substance use disorders on HIV treatment outcomes and antiretroviral medication adherence among HIV-infected persons entering jail.

    PubMed

    Chitsaz, Ehsan; Meyer, Jaimie P; Krishnan, Archana; Springer, Sandra A; Marcus, Ruthanne; Zaller, Nick; Jordan, Alison O; Lincoln, Thomas; Flanigan, Timothy P; Porterfield, Jeff; Altice, Frederick L

    2013-10-01

    HIV and substance use are inextricably intertwined. One-sixth of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) transition through the correctional system annually. There is paucity of evidence on the impact of substance use disorders on HIV treatment engagement among jail detainees. We examined correlates of HIV treatment in the largest sample of PLWHA transitioning through jail in 10 US sites from 2007 to 2011. Cocaine, alcohol, cannabis, and heroin were the most commonly used substances. Drug use severity was negatively and independently correlated with three outcomes just before incarceration: (1) having an HIV care provider (AOR = 0.28; 95 % CI 0.09-0.89); (2) being prescribed antiretroviral therapy (AOR = 0.12; 95 % CI 0.04-0.35) and (3) high levels (>95 %) of antiretroviral medication adherence (AOR = 0.18; 95 % CI 0.05-0.62). Demographic, medical and psychiatric comorbidity, and social factors also contributed to poor outcomes. Evidence-based drug treatments that include multi-faceted interventions, including medication-assisted therapies, are urgently needed to effectively engage this vulnerable population.

  9. Perpetrator or Victim? Effects of Who Suffers in an Automobile Accident on Judgemental Strictness

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shaw, Jerry I.; McMartin, James A.

    1975-01-01

    After reading of an automobile accident in which the driver and/or bystanders either suffered or did not suffer, subjects rated the driver's responsibility for the accident and sentenced him to a jail term. The purpose of this experiment was to contrast three theoretical models: defensive attribution, moral salience, and equity. (Author)

  10. Psychometric properties of the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity coding system 4.2 with jail inmates.

    PubMed

    Owens, Mandy D; Rowell, Lauren N; Moyers, Theresa

    2017-10-01

    Motivational Interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based approach shown to be helpful for a variety of behaviors across many populations. Treatment fidelity is an important tool for understanding how and with whom MI may be most helpful. The Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity coding system was recently updated to incorporate new developments in the research and theory of MI, including the relational and technical hypotheses of MI (MITI 4.2). To date, no studies have examined the MITI 4.2 with forensic populations. In this project, twenty-two brief MI interventions with jail inmates were evaluated to test the reliability of the MITI 4.2. Validity of the instrument was explored using regression models to examine the associations between global scores (Empathy, Partnership, Cultivating Change Talk and Softening Sustain Talk) and outcomes. Reliability of this coding system with these data was strong. We found that therapists had lower ratings of Empathy with participants who had more extensive criminal histories. Both Relational and Technical global scores were associated with criminal histories as well as post-intervention ratings of motivation to decrease drug use. Findings indicate that the MITI 4.2 was reliable for coding sessions with jail inmates. Additionally, results provided information related to the relational and technical hypotheses of MI. Future studies can use the MITI 4.2 to better understand the mechanisms behind how MI works with this high-risk group. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  11. Sex partnerships, health, and social risks of young men leaving jail: analyzing data from a randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Ramaswamy, Megha; Freudenberg, Nicholas

    2010-11-10

    Young men involved in the criminal justice system face disproportionately high rates of sexual risk behavior, drug, use, and violence. Little is known about how their involvement in sex partnerships might mitigate their unique health and social risks. This study explores whether sex partner experience protects against harmful sexual behaviors, drug problems, violence, and recidivism in 16-18-year-old Black and Latino men leaving a US jail. Data were drawn from the Returning Educated African-American and Latino Men to Enriched Neighborhoods (REAL MEN) study conducted between 2003-2007, which tracked 552 adolescents during their time in a New York City jail and 397 of them one year after their release. Logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between sex partner experience and sex behavior, drug use, violence, and recidivism. This study indicates that young men who have long-term sex partners prior to incarceration are less likely to be inconsistent condom users (OR = 0.50, p ≤ 0.01), have sex while high on drugs/alcohol (OR = 0.14, p ≤ 0.001), use marijuana daily (OR = 0.45, p ≤ 0.001), and carry weapons during illegal activity (OR = 0.58, p ≤ 0.05), especially compared with peers who simultaneously are involved with long-term and casual "short-term" sex partners. However, the positive effects of having a long-term sex partner generally do not apply over time - in this case, one year after being released from jail. Aside from sexual partners, factors such as employment and housing stability predict whether these young men will experience positive or negative outcomes post-incarceration. This study highlights the importance and potential benefits of health interventions that engage young Black and Latino men who are involved in the criminal justice system in the US, as well as their sex partners, in health promotion programs. The study also confirms the need for programs that address the employment and housing needs of young men after they

  12. Seroconversion risk perception among jail populations: a call for gender-specific HIV prevention programming.

    PubMed

    Alarid, Leanne Fiftal; Hahl, Jeannie M

    2014-04-01

    The prevalence of HIV/AIDS infection among prisoners is 3 to 4 times higher than in the U.S. population. Given that one in seven HIV-positive Americans pass through a correctional facility every year, the criminal justice system is in an ideal position to aggressively implement effective HIV education, treatment, and prevention. This study examines barriers to the effective delivery of these services and evaluates differences in risk perception among nearly 600 female and male inmates. The results underscore gender differences in Perceived Risk of Seroconversion and Exposure to HIV Education, suggesting that jails should implement gender-specific HIV prevention programming.

  13. The Consequences of Providing Drinkers with Blood Alcohol Concentration Information on Assessments of Alcohol Impairment and Drunk-Driving Risk*

    PubMed Central

    JOHNSON, MARK B.; VOAS, ROBERT B.; KELLEY-BAKER, TARA; FURR-HOLDEN, C. DEBRA M.

    2009-01-01

    Objective We examined the effect of providing drinkers with blood alcohol concentration (BAC) information on subjective assessments of alcohol impairment and drunk-driving risk. Method We sampled 959 drinking participants from a natural drinking environment and asked them to self-administer a personal saliva-based alcohol test. Participants then were asked to rate their alcohol impairment and to indicate whether they could drive legally under one of four BAC feedback conditions (assigned at random): (1) control condition (no BAC feedback provided before the ratings); (2) categorical BAC information (low, high, and highest risk) from the saliva test; (3) categorical BAC information corroborated by a calibrated police breath alcohol analyzer; and (4) precise (three-digit) BAC information from the breath alcohol analyzer. Results Both control participants and participants who received precise BAC feedback gave subjective impairment ratings that correlated with actual BACs. For participants who received categorical BAC information from the saliva test, subjective impairment did not correlate with the actual BAC. Providing drinkers with BAC information, however, did help them predict more accurately if their BAC was higher than the legal BAC driving limit. Conclusions Although BAC information can influence drinkers’ assessments of alcohol impairment and drunk-driving risk, there is no strong evidence that personal saliva-based alcohol tests are particularly useful. PMID:18612570

  14. The Association of Ethnic Pride with Health and Social Outcomes among Young Black and Latino Men after Release from Jail

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Upadhyayula, Satyasree; Ramaswamy, Megha; Chalise, Prabhakar; Daniels, Jessie; Freudenberg, Nicholas

    2017-01-01

    The goal of this study was to understand whether ethnic pride among young, incarcerated Black and Latino men was associated with successful community reentry. We interviewed 397 Black and Latino men 16 to 18 years old in a New York City jail and then again 1 year after their release to determine the relationship between participants' sense of…

  15. Evaluating the Effectiveness of Implementing a More Severe Drunk-Driving Law in China: Findings from Two Open Access Data Sources.

    PubMed

    Xiao, Wangxin; Ning, Peishan; Schwebel, David C; Hu, Guoqing

    2017-07-25

    In 2011, China implemented a more severe drunk-driving law. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the law on road traffic morbidity and mortality attributed to alcohol use. Data were from two open-access data sources, the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2015 update and police data. Poisson regression examined the significance of changes in morbidity and mortality. Large gaps in crude death estimates from road traffic crashes attributed to alcohol use emerged between the two data sources. For the GBD 2015 update, crude and age-standardized mortality displayed consistent trends between 1990 and 2015; age-standardized mortality per 100,000 persons increased from 5.71 in 1990 to 7.48 in 2005 and then continuously decreased down to 5.94 in 2015. Police data showed a decrease for crude mortality per 100,000 persons from 0.29 in 2006 to 0.15 in 2010 and then an increase to 0.19 in 2015. We conclude available data are inadequate to determine the effectiveness of the implementation of the more severe drunk-driving law in China since the two data sources present highly inconsistent results. Further effort is needed to tackle data inconsistencies and obtain reliable and accurate data on road traffic injury attributable to alcohol use in China.

  16. Evaluating the Effectiveness of Implementing a More Severe Drunk-Driving Law in China: Findings from Two Open Access Data Sources

    PubMed Central

    Xiao, Wangxin; Ning, Peishan; Hu, Guoqing

    2017-01-01

    In 2011, China implemented a more severe drunk-driving law. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the law on road traffic morbidity and mortality attributed to alcohol use. Data were from two open-access data sources, the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2015 update and police data. Poisson regression examined the significance of changes in morbidity and mortality. Large gaps in crude death estimates from road traffic crashes attributed to alcohol use emerged between the two data sources. For the GBD 2015 update, crude and age-standardized mortality displayed consistent trends between 1990 and 2015; age-standardized mortality per 100,000 persons increased from 5.71 in 1990 to 7.48 in 2005 and then continuously decreased down to 5.94 in 2015. Police data showed a decrease for crude mortality per 100,000 persons from 0.29 in 2006 to 0.15 in 2010 and then an increase to 0.19 in 2015. We conclude available data are inadequate to determine the effectiveness of the implementation of the more severe drunk-driving law in China since the two data sources present highly inconsistent results. Further effort is needed to tackle data inconsistencies and obtain reliable and accurate data on road traffic injury attributable to alcohol use in China. PMID:28757551

  17. Data-Driven Human Rights: Using Dual Loyalty Trainings to Promote the Care of Vulnerable Patients in Jail.

    PubMed

    Glowa-Kollisch, Sarah; Graves, Jasmine; Dickey, Nathaniel; MacDonald, Ross; Rosner, Zachary; Waters, Anthony; Venters, Homer

    2015-06-11

    Dual loyalty is an omnipresent feature of correctional health. As part of a human rights quality improvement committee, and utilizing the unique advantage of a fully integrated electronic health record system, we undertook an assessment of dual loyalty in the New York City jail system. The evaluation revealed significant concerns about the extent to which the mental health service is involved in assessments that are part of the punishment process of the security apparatus. As a result, dual loyalty training was developed and delivered to all types of health staff in the jail system via anonymous survey. Six clinical scenarios were presented in this training and staff members were asked to indicate whether they had encountered similar circumstances and how they would respond. Staff responses to the survey raised concerns about the frequency with which they are pressured or asked to put aside their primary goal of patient care for the interests of the security mission. The online training and follow-up small group sessions have revealed widespread support for more training on dual loyalty. Copyright 2015 Glowa-Kollisch et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/), which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

  18. The prevalence of speeding and drunk driving in two cities in China: a mid project evaluation of ongoing road safety interventions.

    PubMed

    Bhalla, Kavi; Li, Qingfeng; Duan, Leilen; Wang, Yuan; Bishai, David; Hyder, Adnan A

    2013-12-01

    Road traffic crashes in China kill in excess of 250,000 people annually, more than any other country in the world. They are the fourth leading cause of premature death in the country and are responsible for 2.4% of the burden of non-fatal health loss in the country. Interventions to curb speeding and drunk driving are being implemented in the cities of Suzhou and Dalian since late 2010. We evaluated the ongoing effect of these activities through five roadside surveys, seven rounds of observational studies, and analysis of crash statistics in the two cities. We find that thus far, the prevalence of speeding has not reduced in either city with the notable exception of one site in Dalian, where the percentage of speeding vehicles declined from nearly 70% to below 10% after an interval-based speed enforcement system was installed. The broader deployment of such speed control technologies across China and other countries should be explored. Roadside alcohol testing suggests that prevalence of drunk driving (i.e. BAC >20 mg%) declined from 6.4% to 0.5% in Suzhou and from 1.7% to 0.7% in Dalian during the monitored time period. However, the measured prevalence rates are very low and should be validated against estimates based on hospital studies. Roadside interviews suggest that the population of both cities is already highly sensitized to the risks associated with drunk driving and speeding. Crash statistics from the two cities do not show appreciable declines in injuries and fatalities as yet. However, the possibility of substantial underreporting in crash statistics sourced from traffic police poses a severe threat to monitoring progress towards road safety in Suzhou, Dalian and across China. There is an urgent need for China to invest in a reliable road traffic injury surveillance system that can provide information for describing key risk factors, evaluating the impact of safety policies, and benchmarking achievements. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights

  19. HIV Stigma in Prisons and Jails: Results from a Staff Survey

    PubMed Central

    Dembo, Richard; Copenhaver, Michael; Hiller, Matthew; Swan, Holly; Garcia, Carmen Albizu; O’Connell, Daniel; Oser, Carrie; Pearson, Frank; Pankow, Jennifer

    2015-01-01

    With numerous HIV service gaps in prisons and jails, there has been little research on HIV stigma attitudes among correctional staff. Such attitudes may undermine HIV services for inmates at risk of or infected with HIV. This HIV stigma attitudes survey among 218 correctional staff in 32 US facilities (1) provides an overview of staff’s stigma attitudes, (2) reports psychometric analyses of domains in Earnshaw and Chaudoir’s HIV Stigma Framework (HSF), and (3) explores differences in stigma attitudes among different staff types. Overall, correctional and medical staff expressed non stigmatizing attitudes toward people living with HIV/AIDS, but perceived that stigma and discrimination exist in others. Factor analyses revealed a three factor structure capturing two mechanisms of the HSF (prejudice, discrimination). Few factor score differences were found by staff type or setting. Implications for correctional HIV services and future research on HIV stigma attitudes are discussed. PMID:26036464

  20. HIV Stigma in Prisons and Jails: Results from a Staff Survey.

    PubMed

    Belenko, Steven; Dembo, Richard; Copenhaver, Michael; Hiller, Matthew; Swan, Holly; Albizu Garcia, Carmen; O'Connell, Daniel; Oser, Carrie; Pearson, Frank; Pankow, Jennifer

    2016-01-01

    With numerous HIV service gaps in prisons and jails, there has been little research on HIV stigma attitudes among correctional staff. Such attitudes may undermine HIV services for inmates at risk of or infected with HIV. This HIV stigma attitudes survey among 218 correctional staff in 32 US facilities (1) provides an overview of staff's stigma attitudes, (2) reports psychometric analyses of domains in Earnshaw and Chaudoir's HIV Stigma Framework (HSF), and (3) explores differences in stigma attitudes among different staff types. Overall, correctional and medical staff expressed non stigmatizing attitudes toward people living with HIV/AIDS, but perceived that stigma and discrimination exist in others. Factor analyses revealed a three factor structure capturing two mechanisms of the HSF (prejudice, discrimination). Few factor score differences were found by staff type or setting. Implications for correctional HIV services and future research on HIV stigma attitudes are discussed.

  1. Creating REAL MEN: description of an intervention to reduce drug use, HIV risk, and rearrest among young men returning to urban communities from jail.

    PubMed

    Daniels, Jessie; Crum, Martha; Ramaswamy, Megha; Freudenberg, Nicholas

    2011-01-01

    This article describes the life circumstances and risk behaviors of 552 adolescent males returning home from jail. Most young men reported several sources of support in their lives and many had more tolerant views toward women and intimate relationships than portrayed in mainstream media. They also reported high levels of marijuana and alcohol use, risky sexual behavior, and prior arrests. Investigators designed the Returning Educated African American and Latino Men to Enriched Neighborhoods (REAL MEN) program, a jail and community program to reduce drug use, HIV risk, and rearrest. By helping participants examine alternative paths to manhood and consider racial/ethnic pride as a source of strength, REAL MEN addressed the assets of these young men as well as their challenges. Our findings suggest that interventions that emphasize the assets of these young men may be better able to engage them than programs that seek to impose adult values.

  2. Use of intermediaries in DWI deterrence. Volume 1, Phase 2 report : development of intermediary programs

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1983-04-01

    One potential approach to DWI deterrence and prevention involves encouraging people present in potential drunk driving situations to intervene in order to prevent a trip by an impaired driver. Potential "intermediaries" include service personnel in c...

  3. The Young Drinking Driver: Cause or Effect?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Waller, Patricia F.; Waller, Marcus B.

    Drunk driving is a major public health problem and young people suffer disproportionately high rates of morbidity and mortality as a result of drinking and driving. Motor vehicle injuries are the leading cause of death for persons aged 15-24 in this country, and alcohol is implicated in many of these deaths. Countermeasures to drinking and driving…

  4. Maternal Jail Time, Conviction, and Arrest as Predictors of Children's 15-Year Antisocial Outcomes in the Context of a Nurse Home Visiting Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shlafer, Rebecca J.; Poehlmann, Julie; Donelan-McCall, Nancy

    2012-01-01

    Data from the Nurse-Family Partnership intervention program were analyzed to compare the "selection" versus "unique" effects of maternal jail time on adolescent antisocial and health risk outcomes. Data from 320 women and their firstborn children were available from the prenatal, birth, and 15-year assessments. Consistent with…

  5. Drinking-Driving and Fatal Crashes: A New Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zylman, Richard

    1975-01-01

    Discusses the relationship between alcohol and fatal automobile crashes. Stresses the need for controlled studies in order to determine the correlation between drunk drivers and fatal accidents and to obtain dependable statistics on alcohol-related crashes. (BD)

  6. A comparison of crashes and fatalities in Texas by age group : selected cities in Texas.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-10-01

    In recent decades, great strides have been made to lower the number of accidents that occur on Texas roadways through graduated drivers licensing programs, messages against texting and driving, and discouraging drunk driving. Statistics show that you...

  7. HIV prevention in prisons and jails: obstacles and opportunities.

    PubMed Central

    Polonsky, S; Kerr, S; Harris, B; Gaiter, J; Fichtner, R R; Kennedy, M G

    1994-01-01

    High rates of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among jail and prison inmates suggest that HIV prevention efforts should focus on incarcerated populations. Overcrowding, the high prevalence of injection drug use, and other high-risk behaviors among inmates create a prime opportunity for public health officials to affect the course of the HIV epidemic if they can remedy these problems. Yet, along with the opportunity, there are certain obstacles that correctional institutions present to public health efforts. The various jurisdictions have differing approaches to HIV prevention and control. Whether testing should be mandatory or voluntary, whether housing should be integrated or segregated by HIV serostatus, and whether condoms, bleach, or clean needles should be made available to the prisoners, are questions hotly debated by public health and correctional officials. Even accurate assessment of risk-taking within the institutions leads to controversy, as asking questions could imply acceptance of the very behaviors correctional officials are trying to prevent. Education and risk-reduction counseling are the least controversial and most widely employed modes of prevention, but the effectiveness of current prevention efforts in reducing HIV transmission in this high-risk population is largely undetermined. PMID:7938381

  8. All-cause, drug-related, and HIV-related mortality risk by trajectories of jail incarceration and homelessness among adults in New York City.

    PubMed

    Lim, Sungwoo; Harris, Tiffany G; Nash, Denis; Lennon, Mary Clare; Thorpe, Lorna E

    2015-02-15

    We studied a cohort of 15,620 adults who had experienced at least 1 jail incarceration and 1 homeless shelter stay in 2001-2003 in New York City to identify trajectories of these events and tested whether a particular trajectory was associated with all-cause, drug-related, or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related mortality risk in 2004-2005. Using matched data on jail time, homeless shelter stays, and vital statistics, we performed sequence analysis and assessed mortality risk using standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) and marginal structural modeling. We identified 6 trajectories. Sixty percent of the cohort members had a temporary pattern, which was characterized by sporadic experiences of brief incarceration and homelessness, whereas the rest had the other 5 patterns, which reflected experiences of increasing, decreasing, or persistent jail or shelter stays. Mortality risk among individuals with a temporary pattern was significantly higher than those of adults who had not been incarcerated or stayed in a homeless shelter during the study period (all-cause SMR: 1.35, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.14, 1.59; drug-related SMR: 4.60, 95% CI: 3.17, 6.46; HIV-related SMR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.03, 2.21); all-cause and HIV-related SMRs in other patterns were not statistically significantly different. When we compared all 6 trajectories, the temporary pattern was more strongly associated with higher mortality risk than was the continuously homelessness pattern. Institutional interventions to reduce recurrent cycles of incarceration and homelessness are needed to augment behavioral interventions to reduce mortality risk. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  9. Use of designated boat operators and designated drivers among college students.

    PubMed

    Cheong, JeeWon; Hall, Nicole M; MacKinnon, David P

    2006-07-01

    Prior research has shown that designated drivers (DD) are widely used as a preventive measure for driving under the influence. Despite the prevalence of alcohol involvement in boating accidents, much less is known about the use of a designated boat operator (DBO). The current study investigated the prevalence of DBO use in recreational boating and compared the characteristics of DD users and DBO users. Several survey questionnaires were distributed to a group of undergraduate students at a large southwestern university for the purpose of investigating demographic characteristics, alcohol-use pattern, and other alcohol-related problem behaviors, such as driving and boating under the influence. Approximately 45% of the boaters reported they had drunk alcohol while boating, and approximately 70% had used a DBO in the most recent boating event. The DBO users were found to be similar to the DD users in terms of drinking pattern, age of drinking onset, and driving behaviors. High rates of alcohol use in recreational boating suggest the need for prevention strategies. Furthermore, future studies are needed to investigate the selection process of the DBOs and the differences between passengers and boat operators, which could shed light on strategies to prevent alcohol- involved boating injuries.

  10. Theoretical Foundations of Appeals Used in Alcohol-Abuse and Drunk-Driving Public Service Announcements in the United States, 1995-2010.

    PubMed

    Niederdeppe, Jeff; Avery, Rosemary J; Miller, Emily Elizabeth Namaste

    2018-05-01

    The study identifies the extent to which theoretical constructs drawn from well-established message effect communication theories are reflected in the content of alcohol-related public service announcements (PSAs) airing in the United States over a 16-year period. Content analysis of 18 530 141 alcohol-abuse (AA) and drunk-driving (DD) PSAs appearing on national network and local cable television stations in the 210 largest designated marketing areas (DMAs) from January 1995 through December 2010. The authors developed a detailed content analytic codebook and trained undergraduate coders to reliably identify the extent to which theoretical constructs and other creative ad elements are reflected in the PSAs. We show these patterns using basic descriptive statistics. Although both classes of alcohol-related PSAs used strategies that are consistent with major message effect theories, their specific theoretical orientations differed dramatically. The AA PSAs were generally consistent with constructs emphasized by the Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM), whereas DD PSAs were more likely to use normative strategies emphasized by the Focus Theory of Narrative Conduct (FTNC) or source credibility appeals central to the Elaboration Likelihood Model. Having identified message content, future research should use deductive approaches to determine if volume and message content of alcohol-control PSAs have an impact on measures of alcohol consumption and/or measures of drunk driving, such as fatalities or driving while intoxicated/driving under the influence arrests.

  11. Feasibility planning study for a behavior database. Volume III Appendix B, Compendium of survey questions on drinking and driving and occupant restraints

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1987-04-01

    The general objective of the project was to determine the feasibility of and the general requirements for a centralized database on driver behavior and attitudes related to drunk driving and occupant restraints. Volume III is a compendium of question...

  12. Feasibility planning study for a behavior database. Volume 2 Appendix A, Summary information on the drinking and driving and occupant restraint surveys

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1987-04-24

    The general objective of the project was to determine the feasibility of and the general requirements for a centralized database on driver behavior and attitudes related to drunk driving and occupant restraints. Volume I assesses the extent of pertin...

  13. You Wouldn't Sober, You Shouldn't Drunk: A Behavioural Change Approach to Changing Attitudes and Responses to Unwanted Sexual Attention in Pubs and Clubs.

    PubMed

    Wood, Matthew; Shukla, Paurav

    2017-11-01

    The objective was to evaluate a campaign designed to influence social norms and re-establish boundaries around the issue of unwanted sexual attention in pubs and clubs. In particular, the campaign aimed to raise awareness, and reduce the acceptability, of unwanted sexual attention when drunk. A before-after-with-control group study design was used to evaluate campaign effectiveness. The data was further segmented to explore gender differences and between individuals who reported enjoying going out to get drunk and those who did not. The experimental group with campaign recall demonstrated a significant change in their attitudes to harmful drinking behaviours and unwanted sexual attention compared to the control group. A number of gender differences as well as drink-enjoyment-related differences pre- and post-campaign were observed. Female respondents who were able to recall the campaign demonstrated a significantly lower tolerance of unwanted sexual attention than those who were unable to recall it in either the experimental or control regions. The campaign had limited impact on people who enjoy drunken night outs (DNOs). However, those who do not enjoy DNOs demonstrated significantly higher negative attitudes towards harmful drinking post-campaign recall. The campaign was effective in shifting attitudes towards unwanted sexual attention and harmful drinking behaviour. This was particularly observed among female respondents and those who do not enjoy DNOs. Drinkaware's 'You Wouldn't Sober, You Shouldn't Drunk' behavioural change campaign targets young adults living in North-West England participating in 'drunken nights out'. The experimental group with campaign recall demonstrated a significant change in their attitudes to harmful drinking behaviours and unwanted sexual attention compared to the control group. © The Author 2017. Medical Council on Alcohol and Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

  14. The visual detection of driving while intoxicated : field test of visual cues and detection methods

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1980-04-01

    A Drunk Driver Detection Guide was developed and tested at a sample of 10 law enforcement agencies at locations throughout the United States. The test was designed to provide both longitudinal and cross-sectional analyses of several measures likely t...

  15. Effectiveness of the Ohio vehicle action and administrative license suspension laws

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2000-01-01

    Author's abstract: This report presents a study of the effectiveness of two laws in the State of Ohio, one of which provided for the impounding and immobilization (with a "club" device) of the vehicles of multiple drunk driving offenders and drivers ...

  16. Association of Graduated Driver Licensing With Driver, Non-Driver, and Total Fatalities Among Adolescents.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Motao; Zhao, Songzhu; Long, D Leann; Curry, Allison E

    2016-07-01

    Graduated driver licensing systems typically require an extended learner permit phase, and create night-time driving or passenger restrictions for adolescent drivers. Restricted driving might increase the use of alternative transportation to replace driving and consequently increase crashes and injuries for passengers, bus riders, pedestrians, and bicyclists. This study examined whether graduated driver licensing increases non-driver fatalities among adolescents, and whether it reduces total traffic fatalities combining drivers and non-drivers. Longitudinal analyses were conducted using data from the 1995-2012 U.S. Fatality Analysis Reporting System. Adjusted rate ratios were estimated for being fatally injured in a crash according to: (1) presence/absence of a graduated driver licensing system; and (2) four levels of graduated driver licensing systems (absent, weak, medium, strong). Analyses were conducted in 2015. Among adolescents aged 16 years, graduated driver licensing was not associated with increased passenger fatalities (adjusted rate ratio, 0.96; 95% CI=0.90, 1.03) or pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities (adjusted rate ratio, 1.09; 95% CI=0.85, 1.39), but was associated with an 11% reduction in total traffic fatalities. Among those aged 17 years, graduated driver licensing was not associated with increased fatalities as passengers, pedestrians, or bicyclists, and was not associated with reduced total traffic fatalities. In general, graduated driver licensing systems were not associated with increased fatalities as passengers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and bus riders. Graduated driver licensing systems were associated with reduced total fatalities of adolescents aged 16 years. Copyright © 2016 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. An exploratory study of mental health and HIV risk behavior among drug-using rural women in jail.

    PubMed

    Staton-Tindall, Michele; Harp, Kathi L H; Minieri, Alexandra; Oser, Carrie; Webster, J Matthew; Havens, Jennifer; Leukefeld, Carl

    2015-03-01

    Rural women, particularly those in the criminal justice system, are at risk for HIV related to the increasing prevalence of injection drug use as well as limited services. Research on HIV risk correlates, including drug use and mental health, has primarily focused on urban women incarcerated in prisons. The purpose of this exploratory study is to examine dual HIV risk by 3 different mental health problems (depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD]) among drug-using women in rural jails. This study involved random selection, screening, and face-to-face interviews with 136 women in 1 Appalachian state. Analyses focused on the relationship between mental health and HIV risk. Nearly 80% of women self-reported symptoms of depression, and more than 60% endorsed symptoms consistent with anxiety and PTSD symptoms. Mental health significantly correlated with severity of certain types of drug use, as well as risky sexual activity. In addition, for women experiencing anxiety and PTSD, injection drug use moderated the relationship between mental health and risky sexual activity. Based on these rates of drug use, mental health problems, and the emergence of injection drug use in rural Appalachia, the need to explore the relationships between these issues among vulnerable and understudied populations, such as rural women, is critical. Because of service limitations in rural communities, criminal justice venues such as jails provide opportune settings for screening, assessment, and intervention for drug use, mental health, and HIV education and prevention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

  18. 32 CFR 634.12 - Army administrative actions against intoxicated drivers.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... (CONTINUED) LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC SUPERVISION Driving Privileges... courts-martial or civilian court or imposition of nonjudicial punishment for an offense of drunk or impaired driving either on or off the installation. (2) Refusal to take or failure to complete a lawfully...

  19. 32 CFR 634.12 - Army administrative actions against intoxicated drivers.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... (CONTINUED) LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC SUPERVISION Driving Privileges... courts-martial or civilian court or imposition of nonjudicial punishment for an offense of drunk or impaired driving either on or off the installation. (2) Refusal to take or failure to complete a lawfully...

  20. 32 CFR 634.12 - Army administrative actions against intoxicated drivers.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... (CONTINUED) LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC SUPERVISION Driving Privileges... courts-martial or civilian court or imposition of nonjudicial punishment for an offense of drunk or impaired driving either on or off the installation. (2) Refusal to take or failure to complete a lawfully...

  1. The traffic climate in China: The mediating effect of traffic safety climate between personality and dangerous driving behavior.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Qian; Ge, Yan; Qu, Weina; Zhang, Kan; Sun, Xianghong

    2018-04-01

    Traffic safety climate is defined as road users' attitudes and perceptions of traffic in a specific context at a given point in time. The current study aimed to validate the Chinese version of the Traffic Climate Scale (TCS) and to explore its relation to drivers' personality and dangerous driving behavior. A sample of 413 drivers completed the Big Five Inventory (BFI), the Chinese version of the TCS, the Dula Dangerous Driving Index (DDDI) and a demographic questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were performed to confirm a three-factor (external affective demands, internal requirements and functionality) solution of the TCS. The reliability and validity of the Chinese version of TCS were verified. More importantly, the results showed that the effect of personality on dangerous driving behavior was mediated by traffic climate. Specifically, the functionality of the TCS mediated the effect of neuroticism on negative cognitive/emotional driving and drunk driving, while openness had an indirect impact on aggressive driving, risky driving and drunk driving based on the internal requirements of the TCS. Additionally, agreeableness had a negative direct impact on four factors of the DDDI, while neuroticism had a positive direct impact on negative cognitive/emotional driving, drunk driving and risky driving. In conclusion, the Chinese version of the TCS will be useful to evaluate drivers' attitudes towards and perceptions of the requirements of traffic environment in which they participate and will also be valuable for comparing traffic cultures and environments in different countries. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. HIV-infected men who have sex with men, before and after release from jail: the impact of age and race, results from a multi-site study.

    PubMed

    Vagenas, Panagiotis; Zelenev, Alexei; Altice, Frederick L; Di Paola, Angela; Jordan, Alison O; Teixeira, Paul A; Frew, Paula M; Spaulding, Anne C; Springer, Sandra A

    2016-01-01

    The US HIV/AIDS epidemic is concentrated among men who have sex with men (MSM). Black men are disproportionately affected by incarceration and Black MSM experience higher infection rates and worse HIV-related health outcomes compared to non-Black MSM. We compared HIV treatment outcomes for Black MSM to other HIV-infected men from one of the largest cohorts of HIV-infected jail detainees (N = 1270) transitioning to the community. Of the 574 HIV-infected men released, 113 (19.7%) self-identified as being MSM. Compared to other male subgroups, young Black MSM (<30 years old, N = 18) were significantly less likely: (1) before incarceration, to have insurance, access to an HIV healthcare provider, and use cocaine; (2) during incarceration, to receive a disease management intervention; and (3) in the 6 months post-release, to link to HIV care. Interventions that effectively link and retain young HIV-infected Black MSM in care in communities before incarceration and post-release from jail are urgently needed.

  3. Fatal crash involvement and laws against alcohol-impaired driving.

    PubMed

    Zador, P L; Lund, A K; Fields, M; Weinberg, K

    1989-01-01

    It is estimated that in 1985 about 1,560 fewer drivers were involved in fatal crashes because of three types of drinking-driving laws. The laws studied were per se laws that define driving under the influence using blood alcohol concentration (BAC) thresholds; laws that provide for administrative license suspension or revocation prior to conviction for driving under the influence (often referred to as "administrative per se" laws); and laws that mandate jail or community service for first convictions of driving under the influence. It is estimated that if all 48 of the contiguous states adopted laws similar to those studied here, and if these new laws had effects comparable to those reported here, another 2,600 fatal driver involvements could be prevented each year. During hours when typically at least half of all fatally injured drivers have a BAC over 0.10 percent, administrative suspension/revocation is estimated to reduce the involvement of drivers in fatal crashes by about 9 percent; during the same hours, first offense mandatory jail/community service laws are estimated to have reduced driver involvement by about 6 percent. The effect of per se laws was estimated to be a 6 percent reduction during hours when fatal crashes typically are less likely to involve alcohol. These results are based on analyses of drivers involved in fatal crashes in the 48 contiguous states of the United States during the years 1978 to 1985.

  4. Driver distraction and driver inattention: definition, relationship and taxonomy.

    PubMed

    Regan, Michael A; Hallett, Charlene; Gordon, Craig P

    2011-09-01

    There is accumulating evidence that driver distraction and driver inattention are leading causes of vehicle crashes and incidents. However, as applied psychological constructs, they have been inconsistently defined and the relationship between them remains unclear. In this paper, driver distraction and driver inattention are defined and a taxonomy is presented in which driver distraction is distinguished from other forms of driver inattention. The taxonomy and the definitions provided are intended (a) to provide a common framework for coding different forms of driver inattention as contributing factors in crashes and incidents, so that comparable estimates of their role as contributing factors can be made across different studies, and (b) to make it possible to more accurately interpret and compare, across studies, the research findings for a given form of driver inattention. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Putting polluters in jail: the imposition of criminal sanctions on corporate defendants under environmental statutes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1985-01-01

    Congress included criminal sanctions in several current environmental statutes in an attempt to punish those who jeopardize the public's health and well being by polluting. After exploring how criminal sanctions are actually employed by the courts against corporate defendants, the author argues that these sanctions are ineffective deterrents. Special problems which exist for the prosecutor or judge who attempts to invoke criminal sanctions against a corporate defendant raise questions about the feasibility and propriety of punishing the corporate entities and difficulties associated with proceeding against a corporate official or responsible individual within the corporate organization. The only way to makemore » the sanctions effective is to use them and to impose both fines and jail sentences on the guilty parties.« less

  6. International trends in alcohol and drug use among vehicle drivers.

    PubMed

    Christophersen, A S; Mørland, J; Stewart, K; Gjerde, H

    2016-01-01

    Trends in the use of alcohol and drugs among motor vehicle drivers in Australia, Brazil, Norway, Spain, and the United States have been reviewed. Laws, regulations, enforcement, and studies on alcohol and drugs in biological samples from motor vehicle drivers in general road traffic and fatal road traffic crashes (RTCs) are discussed. Roadside surveys showed a reduction of drunk driving over time in the studied countries; however, the pattern varied within and between different countries. The reduction of alcohol use may be related to changes in road traffic laws, public information campaigns, and enforcement, including implementation of random breath testing or sobriety checkpoints. For non-alcohol drugs, the trend in general road traffic is an increase in use. However, drugs were not included in older studies; it is therefore impossible to assess the trends over longer time periods. Data from the studied countries, except Brazil, have shown a significant decrease in fatal RTCs per 100,000 inhabitants over the last decades; from 18.6 to 4.9 in Australia, 14.5 to 2.9 in Norway, 11.1 to 3.6 in Spain, and 19.3 to 10.3 in the United States. The number of alcohol-related fatal RTCs also decreased during the same time period. The proportion of fatal RTCs related to non-alcohol drugs increased, particularly for cannabis and stimulants. A general challenge when comparing alcohol and drug findings in biological samples from several countries is connected to differences in study design, particularly the time period for performing roadside surveys, biological matrix types, drugs included in the analytical program, and the cutoff limits used for evaluation of results. For RTC fatalities, the cases included are based on the police requests for legal autopsy or drug testing, which may introduce a significant selection bias. General comparisons between high-income countries and low- and middle-income countries as well as a discussion of possible future trends are included

  7. An assessment of Virginia's law requiring the forfeiture of any vehicle driven by a person under license suspension or revocation.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1975-01-01

    In Virginia an individual arrested for the first time for driving while his driver's license is suspended or revoked is subject to the following penalties: He will be jailed for not less than ten days and not more than six months (Va. Code Ann. secti...

  8. Attentional Bias in Psychopathy: An Examination of the Emotional Dot-Probe Task in Male Jail Inmates.

    PubMed

    Edalati, Hanie; Walsh, Zach; Kosson, David S

    2016-08-01

    Numerous studies have identified differences in the identification of emotional displays between psychopaths and non-psychopaths; however, results have been equivocal regarding the nature of these differences. The present study investigated an alternative approach to examining the association between psychopathy and emotion processing by examining attentional bias to emotional faces; we used a modified dot-probe task to measure attentional bias toward emotional faces in comparison with neutral faces, among a sample of male jail inmates assessed using the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R). Results indicated a positive association between psychopathy and attention toward happy versus neutral faces, and that this association was attributable to Factor 1 of the psychopathy construct. © The Author(s) 2015.

  9. Effects of driver cell-phone use on driver aggression.

    PubMed

    McGarva, Andrew R; Ramsey, Matthew; Shear, Suzannah A

    2006-04-01

    Using 2 field procedures, the authors assessed impacts of cell-phone use on mild forms of driver aggression. Participants were 135 drivers traveling within a city of approximately 17,000 people in an otherwise little-populated region of western North Dakota. The authors videotaped the participants while a confederate driver in a low-status vehicle frustrated them. In Experiment 1, the confederate was traveling well under the posted speed limit. In Experiment 2, the confederate remained motionless at a stoplight that had turned green. When the confederate visibly talked on a hand-held cell phone (n = 67), male drivers exhibited their frustration by honking their horn more quickly and frequently than did drivers in no-cell-phone trials, and female drivers were more angry according to blind judgments of videotaped facial expressions that were compared with those of drivers in no-cell-phone trials (n = 68). The present results suggested that driver cell-phone use contributes to the growing crisis of roadway aggression.

  10. Teaching Driver Education Technology to Novice Drivers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Young, Anthony

    A cybernetic unit in driver education was developed to help grade 10 students develop the skills needed to acquire and process driver education information and prepare for the driving phase of driver education in grade 11. Students used a simulator to engage in a series of scenarios designed to promote development of social, behavioral, and mental…

  11. Examination of Supplemental Driver Training and Online Basic Driver Education

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-06-01

    This report describes supplemental driver training programs and online basic driver education. It coves supplemental driver training that : focused on knowledge and skills beyond those normally found in traditional driver education delivered in the U...

  12. Drivers Are More Physically Active Than Non-Drivers in Older Adults.

    PubMed

    Amagasa, Shiho; Fukushima, Noritoshi; Kikuchi, Hiroyuki; Takamiya, Tomoko; Odagiri, Yuko; Oka, Koichiro; Inoue, Shigeru

    2018-05-28

    Car use has been identified as sedentary behavior, although it may enhance mobility, particularly in the older population. This cross-sectional study aimed to compare the time spent in objectively determined sedentary behavior (SB) and physical activity (PA) between older drivers and non-drivers. Four hundred and fifty Japanese older adults (74.3 ± 2.9 years) who had valid accelerometer data were included. They were asked to respond to a questionnaire and wear an accelerometer (HJA-350IT, Omron Healthcare) on their waist for 7 consecutive days in 2015. To compare activity time between drivers and non-drivers, we calculated estimated means using analysis of covariance, adjusting for sociodemographic, physical, and psychological factors and accelerometer wear time. Compared to non-drivers, drivers engaged in more light-intensity PA (LPA) (drivers: 325.0 vs. non-drivers: 289.0 min/day) and moderate-to-vigorous PA (drivers: 37.5 vs. non-drivers: 30.0 min/day) and less SB (drivers: 493.4 vs. non-drivers: 535.9 min/day) (all p < 0.05). After stratification by age, sex, and residential area, larger effect of driving on PA time was found in older-older adults, in men, and in rural residents. Older drivers were found to be more physically active than non-drivers, suggesting more access to outdoor activities or expanding social network.

  13. Improving Driver Performance. A Curriculum for Licensed Drivers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Highway Users Federation for Safety and Mobility, Washington, DC.

    Curriculum material presented in this manual is for use in the development of an instructional program for drivers who either want or need to improve their driving performance. Three principal units are included: man and highway transportation, driver performance, and factors influencing driver behavior. Each unit is further divided into episodes…

  14. Perspectives on Integrated HIV and Hepatitis C Virus Testing Among Persons Entering a Northern California Jail: A Pilot Study.

    PubMed

    Ly, Wilson; Cocohoba, Jennifer; Chyorny, Alexander; Halpern, Jodi; Auerswald, Colette; Myers, Janet

    2018-06-01

    Providing HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing on an "opt-out" basis is often considered the "gold standard" because it contributes to higher testing rates when compared with "opt-in" strategies. Although rates are crucial, an individual's testing preferences are also important, especially in correctional settings where legal and social factors influence a person's capacity to freely decide whether or not to test. Our study explored factors influencing HIV and HCV testing decisions and individuals' preferences and concerns regarding opt-in vs. opt-out testing at the time of jail entry. We conducted semistructured interviews to explore individuals' previous testing experiences, reasons to test, understanding of their health care rights, HIV and HCV knowledge, and preferences for an opt-out vs. an opt-in testing script. We interviewed 30 individuals detained in the Santa Clara County Jail at intake. Participants reported that their testing decisions were influenced by their level of HIV and HCV knowledge, self-perceived risk of infection and stigma associated with infection and testing, the degree to which they felt coerced, and understanding of testing rights in a correctional setting. Most preferred the opt-in script because they valued the choice of whether or not to be tested. Participants who did prefer the opt-out script did so because they felt that the script was less likely to make people feel "singled out" for testing. Our findings demonstrate that people care about how testing is offered and suggest a need for further research to see how much this influences their decision about whether to test.

  15. Driving fatigue in professional drivers: a survey of truck and taxi drivers.

    PubMed

    Meng, Fanxing; Li, Shuling; Cao, Lingzhi; Li, Musen; Peng, Qijia; Wang, Chunhui; Zhang, Wei

    2015-01-01

    Fatigue among truck drivers has been studied extensively; however, less is known regarding the fatigue experience of taxi drivers in heavily populated metropolitan areas. This study aimed to compare the differences and similarities between truck and taxi driver fatigue to provide implications for the fatigue management and education of professional drivers. A sample of 274 truck drivers and 286 taxi drivers in Beijing was surveyed via a questionnaire, which included items regarding work characteristics, fatigue experience, accident information, attitude toward fatigue, and methods of counteracting fatigue. Driver fatigue was prevalent among professional drivers, and it was even more serious for taxi drivers. Taxi drivers reported more frequent fatigue experiences and were involved in more accidents. Among the contributing factors to fatigue, prolonged driving time was the most important factor identified by both driver groups. Importantly, the reason for the engagement in prolonged driving was neither due to the lack of awareness concerning the serious outcome of fatigue driving nor because of their poor detection of fatigue. The most probable reason was the optimism bias, as a result of which these professional drivers thought that fatigue was more serious for other drivers than for themselves, and they thought that they were effective in counteracting the effect of fatigue on their driving performance. Moreover, truck drivers tended to employ methods that require stopping to counteract fatigue, whereas taxi drivers preferred methods that were simultaneous with driving. Although both driver groups considered taking a nap as one of the most effective means to address fatigue, this method was not commonly used. Interestingly, these drivers were aware that the methods they frequently used were not the most effective means to counteract fatigue. This study provides knowledge on truck and taxi drivers' characteristics in fatigue experience, fatigue attitude, and

  16. Effects of edaravone on a rat model of punch-drunk syndrome.

    PubMed

    Nomoto, Jun; Kuroki, Takao; Nemoto, Masaaki; Kondo, Kosuke; Harada, Naoyuki; Nagao, Takeki

    2011-01-01

    Punch-drunk syndrome (PDS) refers to a pathological condition in which higher brain dysfunction occurs in a delayed fashion in boxers who have suffered repeated blows to the head. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. This study attempted to elucidate the mechanism of higher brain dysfunction observed following skull vibration in two experiments involving a rat model of PDS. Experiment 1 evaluated the effects of edaravone on histological changes in the rat brain tissue after skull vibration (frequency 20 Hz, amplitude 4 mm, duration 60 minutes). The amount of free radicals formed in response to skull vibration was very small, and edaravone administration reduced the number of glial fibrillary acidic protein and advanced glycation end product-positive cells. Experiment 2 examined the time course of change in learning ability following skull vibration in Tokai High Avoider rats. The learning ability of individual rats was evaluated by the Sidman-type electric shock avoidance test 5 days after the last session of skull vibration or final anesthesia and once a month for 9 consecutive months. Delayed learning disability was not observed in rats administered edaravone immediately after skull vibration. These results suggest that free radical-induced astrocyte activation and subsequent glial scar formation contribute to the occurrence of delayed learning disabilities. Edaravone administration after skull vibration suppressed glial scar formation, thereby inhibiting the occurrence of delayed learning disabilities.

  17. Youth alcohol use and risky sexual behavior: evidence from underage drunk driving laws.

    PubMed

    Carpenter, Christopher

    2005-05-01

    Recent research calls into question previous methods for estimating the relationship between alcohol use and risky sexual behavior among youths [Rashad, I., Kaestner, R., 2004. Teenage sex, drugs and alcohol use: problems identifying the cause of risky behaviors. Journal of Health Economics 23, 493-503]. This paper provides new evidence on this question by using reductions in heavy alcohol use among underage males induced by state adoption of very strict age-targeted "Zero Tolerance" drunk driving laws. I estimate reduced form models of the effects of Zero Tolerance laws on state gonorrhea rates by age group and race over the period 1981-2000, controlling for state and year fixed effects and state-specific time trends. I find that adoption of a Zero Tolerance law was associated with a significant reduction in gonorrhea rates among 15-19-year-old white males, with no effect for slightly older males age 20-24 whose drinking behavior was unaffected by the tougher policies. I find mixed effects for white females and no significant effects for blacks. While not conclusive, these results suggest an important role for alcohol use in risky sexual behavior among young men.

  18. Child passengers and driver culpability in fatal crashes by driver gender.

    PubMed

    Maasalo, Ida; Lehtonen, Esko; Pekkanen, Jami; Summala, Heikki

    2016-07-03

    Studies based on accident statistics generally suggest that the presence of a passenger reduces adult drivers' accident risk. However, passengers have been reported to be a source of distraction in a remarkable portion of distraction-related crashes. Although the effect of passengers on driving performance has been studied extensively, few studies have focused on how a child passenger affects the driver.  A child in a car is a potential distractor for parents, especially for mothers of small children, who often suffer from sleep deficit. The aim of this study was to examine how the presence of child passengers of different ages is associated with a higher driver culpability, which was expected due to child-related distraction and fatigue. The analysis was based on the comprehensive data of fatal crashes studied in-depth by multidisciplinary road accident investigation teams in Finland during 1988-2012. Teams determine the primary party who had the most crucial effect on the origin of the event. We define the primary party as culpable and the others involved as nonculpable drivers. The culpability rate was defined as the percentage of culpable drivers and rates were compared for drivers with a child/teen passenger aged 0-17 years (N = 348), with an adult passenger without children (N = 324), and when driving alone (N = 579), grouped by child age and driver gender.  Drivers with specific risk-related behavior (substantial speeding, driving when intoxicated, unbelted, or without a license) were excluded from the analyses, in order to make the drivers with and without children comparable. Only drivers 26-47 years old were included, representing parents with children 0-9 years of age. Male drivers were less often culpable with 0- to 17-year-old passengers in the car than alone or with adults. This was not the case with female drivers. The gender difference in culpability was most marked with small children age 0-4 years. Female drivers' culpability rate with a 0

  19. Association of driver air bags with driver fatality: a matched cohort study.

    PubMed

    Cummings, Peter; McKnight, Barbara; Rivara, Frederick P; Grossman, David C

    2002-05-11

    To estimate the association of driver air bag presence with driver fatality in road traffic crashes. Matched pair cohort study. All passenger vehicle crashes in the United States during 1990-2000 inclusive. 51 031 driver-passenger pairs in the same vehicle. Relative risk of death within 30 days of a crash. Drivers with an air bag were less likely to die than drivers without an air bag (adjusted relative risk 0.92 (95% confidence interval 0.88 to 0.96)). This estimate was nearly the same whether drivers wore a seat belt (adjusted relative risk 0.93) or not (0.91). Air bags were associated with more protection for women (0.88 (0.82 to 0.93)), than for men (0.94 (0.90 to 0.99)). Drivers wearing a seat belt were less likely to die than unbelted drivers (0.35 (0.33 to 0.36)). Belted drivers with an air bag were less likely to die than unbelted drivers without an air bag (0.32 (0.30 to 0.34)). If the associations are causal the average risk of driver death was reduced 8% (95% confidence interval 4% to 12%) by an air bag. Benefit was similar for belted and unbelted drivers and was slightly greater for women. However, seat belts offered much more protection than air bags.

  20. Association of driver air bags with driver fatality: a matched cohort study

    PubMed Central

    Cummings, Peter; McKnight, Barbara; Rivara, Frederick P; Grossman, David C

    2002-01-01

    Objective To estimate the association of driver air bag presence with driver fatality in road traffic crashes. Design Matched pair cohort study. Setting All passenger vehicle crashes in the United States during 1990-2000 inclusive. Subjects 51 031 driver-passenger pairs in the same vehicle. Main outcome measures Relative risk of death within 30 days of a crash. Results Drivers with an air bag were less likely to die than drivers without an air bag (adjusted relative risk 0.92 (95% confidence interval 0.88 to 0.96)). This estimate was nearly the same whether drivers wore a seat belt (adjusted relative risk 0.93) or not (0.91). Air bags were associated with more protection for women (0.88 (0.82 to 0.93)), than for men (0.94 (0.90 to 0.99)). Drivers wearing a seat belt were less likely to die than unbelted drivers (0.35 (0.33 to 0.36)). Belted drivers with an air bag were less likely to die than unbelted drivers without an air bag (0.32 (0.30 to 0.34)). Conclusions If the associations are causal the average risk of driver death was reduced 8% (95% confidence interval 4% to 12%) by an air bag. Benefit was similar for belted and unbelted drivers and was slightly greater for women. However, seat belts offered much more protection than air bags. What is already known on this topicStudies have estimated that driver air bags reduce the risk of death in a road vehicle crash by 10-14%These studies disagree as to whether benefit is greater for drivers wearing a seat belt or for unbelted driversWhat this study addsHaving an air bag was associated with an 8% reduction in the risk of death, whether the driver was belted or notThe reduction in risk was greater for women (12%) than for men (6%)Seat belts provided much greater protection, with seat belt use reducing the risk of death by 65% (or by 68% in combination with an air bag) PMID:12003882

  1. Safe Rides: A Controlled Investigation in Two Major California Cities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Caudill, Barry D.; And Others

    This study was designed to examine the community impact from introducing free alternative transportation for the drunk/drugged driver in two California cities. Baseline data were obtained in February of 1988 from 1,522 bar and nightclub patrons in Sacramento and San Jose, California. Over one-half of the respondents had consumed alcohol before…

  2. Changing drivers' minds: the evaluation of an advanced driver coaching system.

    PubMed

    Stanton, N A; Walker, G H; Young, M S; Kazi, T; Salmon, P M

    2007-08-01

    This paper reports on the study of an advanced driver coaching system. The study distinguishes between different types of post-licensure programmes in order to explore a system based on a model of identifying and responding to hazards, called 'information, position, speed, gear and acceleration' (IPSGA). Previous literature has been sceptical about the benefits of advanced driver education; thus, the current study was designed to control for the effects of coaching drivers in the 'IPSGA' system (the treatment group) against the effects of being accompanied (control group 1), as well as the mere effects of time (control group 2). Measures were taken before the driver coaching began (as a baseline measure) and again after 8 weeks (to see if any changes had occurred). These measures included driver knowledge via a post-drive interview, observations of driving skill and driver attitude using a locus of control scale. The results suggest that advanced driver coaching using the IPSGA system had a beneficial effect on all of these measures. Drivers in the coaching condition improved their situation awareness, driving skills and reduced attributions of external locus of control. The study lends support to the case for one-to-one individualized driver coaching using a systematic model of driving.

  3. Drinking driver and traffic safety project. Volume 2, Probabilities for drinking drivers

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1973-10-01

    This is the second volume of a final report of a four-year study of drinking drivers. It includes a brief description of a prediction model developed from over 4000 cases, including drinking drivers, recidivist drinking drivers and drivers license ap...

  4. Approaches of truck drivers and non-truck drivers toward reckless on-road behavior.

    PubMed

    Rosenbloom, Tova; Eldror, Ehud; Shahar, Amit

    2009-07-01

    The purpose of the study was to compare the reported approaches of truck drivers to those of non-truck drivers toward reckless on-road behaviors. One hundred and sixty-seven adult males, including 70 non-truck drivers, completed the questionnaires voluntarily. The truck drivers were employees of a concrete manufacturing company working at various company plants throughout Israel. Seventy were professional mixer truckers and 27 were tip-truckers. The participants completed the Reckless Driving Self-Report Scale based on Taubman Ben-Ari et al. [Taubman Ben-Ari, O., Florian, V., Mikulincer, M., 1999. The impact of mortality salience on reckless driving: a test of terror management mechanisms. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 76, 35-45], adapted for truck drivers for this study. It was expected that non-professional, as compared to professional (truck) drivers, would be more permissive regarding reckless driving, since driving risks are less prominent in their daily driving experience. An ANOVA performed on mean reckless-driving scores yielded significant results. The post hoc Schéffe test indicated significantly higher reckless-driving scores for automobile drivers as compared to both mixer-truck driver scores and tip-truck driver scores. In addition, the reckless-driving scores for mixer-truck drivers were significantly higher than the tip-truck driver scores. We discuss various explanations for the findings and consider possible implications for training strategies in organizations as well as for media campaigns focused on mutual safe road use of truck drivers and private vehicle drivers.

  5. Remembering Kate and Kathy: Two Passionate Youth Librarians Leave Behind a Lasting Legacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Vicky

    2009-01-01

    For children's book lovers, the world was infinitely glorious on Monday, January 26, 2009, as the winners of the American Library Association's (ALA) awards were announced at the midwinter meeting in Denver. But two days later, a drunk driver slammed into a taxicab, killing two children's librarians as they were on their way to the Denver…

  6. Elderly driver retraining

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1982-09-01

    This report documents a study of the traffic safety problems associated with elderly drivers. For the purposes of this study, "elderly drivers" are defined as drivers aged 55 years or older. The study involved five major activities. First, research w...

  7. Kin-Driver: a database of driver mutations in protein kinases.

    PubMed

    Simonetti, Franco L; Tornador, Cristian; Nabau-Moretó, Nuria; Molina-Vila, Miguel A; Marino-Buslje, Cristina

    2014-01-01

    Somatic mutations in protein kinases (PKs) are frequent driver events in many human tumors, while germ-line mutations are associated with hereditary diseases. Here we present Kin-driver, the first database that compiles driver mutations in PKs with experimental evidence demonstrating their functional role. Kin-driver is a manual expert-curated database that pays special attention to activating mutations (AMs) and can serve as a validation set to develop new generation tools focused on the prediction of gain-of-function driver mutations. It also offers an easy and intuitive environment to facilitate the visualization and analysis of mutations in PKs. Because all mutations are mapped onto a multiple sequence alignment, analogue positions between kinases can be identified and tentative new mutations can be proposed for studying by transferring annotation. Finally, our database can also be of use to clinical and translational laboratories, helping them to identify uncommon AMs that can correlate with response to new antitumor drugs. The website was developed using PHP and JavaScript, which are supported by all major browsers; the database was built using MySQL server. Kin-driver is available at: http://kin-driver.leloir.org.ar/ © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press.

  8. Technology and teen drivers.

    PubMed

    Lee, John D

    2007-01-01

    The rapid evolution of computing, communication, and sensor technology is likely to affect young drivers more than others. The distraction potential of infotainment technology stresses the same vulnerabilities that already lead young drivers to crash more frequently than other drivers. Cell phones, text messaging, MP3 players, and other nomadic devices all present a threat because young drivers may lack the spare attentional capacity for vehicle control and the ability to anticipate and manage hazards. Moreover, young drivers are likely to be the first and most aggressive users of new technology. Fortunately, emerging technology can also support safe driving. Electronic stability control, collision avoidance systems, intelligent speed adaptation, and vehicle tracking systems can all help mitigate the threats to young drivers. However, technology alone is unlikely to make young drivers safer. One promising approach to tailoring technology to teen drivers is to extend proven methods for enhancing young driver safety. The success of graduated drivers license programs (GDL) and the impressive safety benefit of supervised driving suggest ways of tailoring technology to the needs of young drivers. To anticipate the effects of technology on teen driving it may be useful to draw an analogy between the effects of passengers and the effects of technology. Technology can act as a teen passenger and undermine safety or it can act as an adult passenger and enhance safety. Rapidly developing technology may have particularly large effects on teen drivers. To maximize the positive effects and minimize the negative effects will require a broad range of industries to work together. Ideally, vehicle manufacturers would work with infotainment providers, insurance companies, and policy makers to craft new technologies so that they accommodate the needs of young drivers. Without such collaboration young drivers will face even greater challenges to their safety as new technologies emerge.

  9. Two Faces of Shame: Understanding Shame and Guilt in the Prediction of Jail Inmates’ Recidivism

    PubMed Central

    Tangney, June P.; Stuewig, Jeffrey; Martinez, Andres G.

    2014-01-01

    Psychological research using mostly cross-sectional methods calls into question the presumed function of shame as inhibitor of immoral or illegal behavior. In a longitudinal study of 476 jail inmates, we assessed shame-proneness, guilt-proneness, and externalization of blame shortly upon incarceration. Participants (n = 332) were interviewed one year following release into the community and official arrest records were accessed (n = 446). Guilt-proneness negatively, and directly, predicted re-offense in the first year post-release; shame-proneness did not. Further mediational modeling showed that shame-proneness positively predicted recidivism via its robust link to externalization of blame. There remained a direct effect of shame on recidivism, however, such that shame – unimpeded by defensive externalization of blame – inhibited recidivism. Items assessing a motivation to hide were primarily responsible for this pattern. Overall, results suggest that the pain of shame may have two faces – one with destructive and the other with constructive potential. PMID:24395738

  10. Effects of license revocation on drunk-driving offenders.

    PubMed

    Ross, H L; Gonzales, P

    1988-10-01

    Revoking or suspending the licenses of persons convicted of driving while intoxicated has often been claimed to be uniquely effective in reducing subsequent dangerous driving, as indexed by crashes and violations. This finding holds despite the impression that many suspended and revoked drivers continue to drive illegally. The research described here inquires into the operation of license actions. It uses intensive personal interviews with offenders to obtain information concerning the nature and amount of illegal driving and the effects of license deprivation on employment and other aspects of the offenders' lives.

  11. Bus driver sues.

    PubMed

    1996-09-06

    A bus driver, known as John Doe, sued his employer, alleging that he was fired when he voluntarily disclosed that he was HIV-positive and needed a rest from the long hours of driving. The driver sued for back wages, benefits, and compensatory and punitive damages under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination. Academy Bus tours told the driver he could not return to work without a doctor's examination. Doe has an excellent driving record and was certified as physically fit to work as a bus driver 14 months prior to his termination.

  12. Driver Education Saves Gas.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    American Automobile Association, Falls Church, VA. Traffic Engineering and Safety Dept.

    The argument that driver education should be dropped because driver education cars use gas is shortsighted. High school driver education is an excellent vehicle for teaching concepts of energy conservation. A small investment in fuel now can result in major savings of gasoline over a student's lifetime. In addition good driver education courses…

  13. Graduated Driver Licensing

    PubMed Central

    Bates, Lyndel J.; Allen, Siobhan; Armstrong, Kerry; Watson, Barry; King, Mark J.; Davey, Jeremy

    2014-01-01

    Graduated driver licensing (GDL) aims to gradually increase the exposure of new drivers to more complex driving situations and typically consists of learner, provisional and open licence phases. The first phase, the learner licence, is designed to allow novice drivers to obtain practical driving experience in lower risk situations. The learner licence can delay licensure, encourage novice drivers to learn under supervision, mandate the number of hours of practice required to progress to the next phase and encourage parental involvement. The second phase, the provisional licence, establishes various driving restrictions and thereby reduces exposure to situations of higher risk, such as driving at night, with passengers or after drinking alcohol. Parental involvement with a GDL system appears essential in helping novices obtain sufficient practice and in enforcing compliance with restrictions once the new driver obtains a provisional licence. Given the significant number of young drivers involved in crashes within Oman, GDL is one countermeasure that may be beneficial in reducing crash risk and involvement for this group. PMID:25364543

  14. Negativity Bias in Dangerous Drivers.

    PubMed

    Chai, Jing; Qu, Weina; Sun, Xianghong; Zhang, Kan; Ge, Yan

    2016-01-01

    The behavioral and cognitive characteristics of dangerous drivers differ significantly from those of safe drivers. However, differences in emotional information processing have seldom been investigated. Previous studies have revealed that drivers with higher anger/anxiety trait scores are more likely to be involved in crashes and that individuals with higher anger traits exhibit stronger negativity biases when processing emotions compared with control groups. However, researchers have not explored the relationship between emotional information processing and driving behavior. In this study, we examined the emotional information processing differences between dangerous drivers and safe drivers. Thirty-eight non-professional drivers were divided into two groups according to the penalty points that they had accrued for traffic violations: 15 drivers with 6 or more points were included in the dangerous driver group, and 23 drivers with 3 or fewer points were included in the safe driver group. The emotional Stroop task was used to measure negativity biases, and both behavioral and electroencephalograph data were recorded. The behavioral results revealed stronger negativity biases in the dangerous drivers than in the safe drivers. The bias score was correlated with self-reported dangerous driving behavior. Drivers with strong negativity biases reported having been involved in mores crashes compared with the less-biased drivers. The event-related potentials (ERPs) revealed that the dangerous drivers exhibited reduced P3 components when responding to negative stimuli, suggesting decreased inhibitory control of information that is task-irrelevant but emotionally salient. The influence of negativity bias provides one possible explanation of the effects of individual differences on dangerous driving behavior and traffic crashes.

  15. Mandatory Physician Reporting of At-Risk Drivers: The Older Driver Example.

    PubMed

    Agimi, Yll; Albert, Steven M; Youk, Ada O; Documet, Patricia I; Steiner, Claudia A

    2018-05-08

    In a number of states, physicians are mandated by state law to report at-risk drivers to licensing authorities. Often these patients are older adult drivers who may exhibit unsafe driving behaviors, have functional/cognitive impairments, or are diagnosed with conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and/or seizure disorders. The hypothesis that mandatory physician reporting laws reduce the rate of crash-related hospitalizations among older adult drivers was tested. Using retrospective data (2004-2009), this study identified 176,066 older driver crash-related hospitalizations, from the State Inpatient Databases. Three age-specific negative binomial generalized estimating equation models were used to estimate the effect of physician reporting laws on state's incidence rate of crash-related hospitalizations among older drivers. No evidence was found for an independent association between mandatory physician reporting laws and a lower crash hospitalization rate among any of the age groups examined. The main predictor of interest, mandatory physician reporting, failed to explain any significant variation in crash hospitalization rates, when adjusting for other state-specific laws and characteristics. Vision testing at in-person license renewal was a significant predictor of lower crash hospitalization rate, ranging from incidence rate ratio of 0.77 (95% confidence interval 0.62-0.94) among 60- to 64-year olds to 0.83 (95% confidence interval 0.67-0.97) among 80- to 84-year olds. Physician reporting laws and age-based licensing requirements are often at odds with older driver's need to maintain independence. This study examines this balance and finds no evidence of the benefits of mandatory physician reporting requirements on driver crash hospitalizations, suggesting that physician mandates do not yet yield significant older driver safety benefits, possibly to the detriment of older driver's well-being and independence.

  16. Negativity Bias in Dangerous Drivers

    PubMed Central

    Chai, Jing; Qu, Weina; Sun, Xianghong; Zhang, Kan; Ge, Yan

    2016-01-01

    The behavioral and cognitive characteristics of dangerous drivers differ significantly from those of safe drivers. However, differences in emotional information processing have seldom been investigated. Previous studies have revealed that drivers with higher anger/anxiety trait scores are more likely to be involved in crashes and that individuals with higher anger traits exhibit stronger negativity biases when processing emotions compared with control groups. However, researchers have not explored the relationship between emotional information processing and driving behavior. In this study, we examined the emotional information processing differences between dangerous drivers and safe drivers. Thirty-eight non-professional drivers were divided into two groups according to the penalty points that they had accrued for traffic violations: 15 drivers with 6 or more points were included in the dangerous driver group, and 23 drivers with 3 or fewer points were included in the safe driver group. The emotional Stroop task was used to measure negativity biases, and both behavioral and electroencephalograph data were recorded. The behavioral results revealed stronger negativity biases in the dangerous drivers than in the safe drivers. The bias score was correlated with self-reported dangerous driving behavior. Drivers with strong negativity biases reported having been involved in mores crashes compared with the less-biased drivers. The event-related potentials (ERPs) revealed that the dangerous drivers exhibited reduced P3 components when responding to negative stimuli, suggesting decreased inhibitory control of information that is task-irrelevant but emotionally salient. The influence of negativity bias provides one possible explanation of the effects of individual differences on dangerous driving behavior and traffic crashes. PMID:26765225

  17. Assessing drivers' response during automated driver support system failures with non-driving tasks.

    PubMed

    Shen, Sijun; Neyens, David M

    2017-06-01

    With the increase in automated driver support systems, drivers are shifting from operating their vehicles to supervising their automation. As a result, it is important to understand how drivers interact with these automated systems and evaluate their effect on driver responses to safety critical events. This study aimed to identify how drivers responded when experiencing a safety critical event in automated vehicles while also engaged in non-driving tasks. In total 48 participants were included in this driving simulator study with two levels of automated driving: (a) driving with no automation and (b) driving with adaptive cruise control (ACC) and lane keeping (LK) systems engaged; and also two levels of a non-driving task (a) watching a movie or (b) no non-driving task. In addition to driving performance measures, non-driving task performance and the mean glance duration for the non-driving task were compared between the two levels of automated driving. Drivers using the automated systems responded worse than those manually driving in terms of reaction time, lane departure duration, and maximum steering wheel angle to an induced lane departure event. These results also found that non-driving tasks further impaired driver responses to a safety critical event in the automated system condition. In the automated driving condition, driver responses to the safety critical events were slower, especially when engaged in a non-driving task. Traditional driver performance variables may not necessarily effectively and accurately evaluate driver responses to events when supervising autonomous vehicle systems. Thus, it is important to develop and use appropriate variables to quantify drivers' performance under these conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and National Safety Council. All rights reserved.

  18. --No Title--

    Science.gov Websites

    Driving Family drowned after high waters swept their car off the road, flipped it over, and carried the Monroe 24 F Creek Driving Driver attempted to drive through high water on an infrequently travelled road fell in. Dad was in jail. 5/28/2014 LA Duplessis Ascension 56 M Parking Lot Fell in Business let people

  19. Thermally Activated Driver

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kinard, William H.; Murray, Robert C.; Walsh, Robert F.

    1987-01-01

    Space-qualified, precise, large-force, thermally activated driver (TAD) developed for use in space on astro-physics experiment to measure abundance of rare actinide-group elements in cosmic rays. Actinide cosmic rays detected using thermally activated driver as heart of event-thermometer (ET) system. Thermal expansion and contraction of silicone oil activates driver. Potential applications in fluid-control systems where precise valve controls are needed.

  20. Modeling of Driver Steering Operations in Lateral Wind Disturbances toward Driver Assistance System

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kurata, Yoshinori; Wada, Takahiro; Kamiji, Norimasa; Doi, Shun'ichi

    Disturbances decrease vehicle stability and increase driver's mental and physical workload. Especially unexpected disturbances such as lateral winds have severe effect on vehicle stability and driver's workload. This study aims at building a driver model of steering operations in lateral wind toward developing effective driver assistance system. First, the relationship between the driver's lateral motion and its reactive quick steering behavior is investigated using driving simulator with lateral 1dof motion. In the experiments, four different wind patterns are displayed by the simulator. As the results, strong correlation was found between the driver's head lateral jerk by the lateral disturbance and the angular acceleration of the steering wheel. Then, we build a mathematical model of driver's steering model from lateral disturbance input to steering torque of the reactive quick feed-forward steering based on the experimental results. Finally, validity of the proposed model is shown by comparing the steering torque of experimental results and that of simulation results.

  1. Factors associated with self-reported driver sleepiness and incidents in city bus drivers

    PubMed Central

    ANUND, Anna; IHLSTRÖM, Jonas; FORS, Carina; KECKLUND, Göran; FILTNESS, Ashleigh

    2016-01-01

    Driver fatigue has received increased attention during recent years and is now considered to be a major contributor to approximately 15–30% of all crashes. However, little is known about fatigue in city bus drivers. It is hypothesized that city bus drivers suffer from sleepiness, which is due to a combination of working conditions, lack of health and reduced sleep quantity and quality. The overall aim with the current study is to investigate if severe driver sleepiness, as indicated by subjective reports of having to fight sleep while driving, is a problem for city based bus drivers in Sweden and if so, to identify the determinants related to working conditions, health and sleep which contribute towards this. The results indicate that driver sleepiness is a problem for city bus drivers, with 19% having to fight to stay awake while driving the bus 2–3 times each week or more and nearly half experiencing this at least 2–4 times per month. In conclusion, severe sleepiness, as indicated by having to fight sleep during driving, was common among the city bus drivers. Severe sleepiness correlated with fatigue related safety risks, such as near crashes. PMID:27098307

  2. Factors associated with self-reported driver sleepiness and incidents in city bus drivers.

    PubMed

    Anund, Anna; Ihlström, Jonas; Fors, Carina; Kecklund, Göran; Filtness, Ashleigh

    2016-08-05

    Driver fatigue has received increased attention during recent years and is now considered to be a major contributor to approximately 15-30% of all crashes. However, little is known about fatigue in city bus drivers. It is hypothesized that city bus drivers suffer from sleepiness, which is due to a combination of working conditions, lack of health and reduced sleep quantity and quality. The overall aim with the current study is to investigate if severe driver sleepiness, as indicated by subjective reports of having to fight sleep while driving, is a problem for city based bus drivers in Sweden and if so, to identify the determinants related to working conditions, health and sleep which contribute towards this. The results indicate that driver sleepiness is a problem for city bus drivers, with 19% having to fight to stay awake while driving the bus 2-3 times each week or more and nearly half experiencing this at least 2-4 times per month. In conclusion, severe sleepiness, as indicated by having to fight sleep during driving, was common among the city bus drivers. Severe sleepiness correlated with fatigue related safety risks, such as near crashes.

  3. Assessing Jail Inmates’ Proneness to Shame and Guilt: Feeling Bad About the Behavior or the Self?

    PubMed Central

    Tangney, June P.; Stuewig, Jeffrey; Mashek, Debra; Hastings, Mark

    2011-01-01

    This study of 550 jail inmates (379 male and 171 female) held on felony charges examines the reliability and validity of the Test of Self Conscious Affect –Socially Deviant Version (TOSCA-SD; Hanson & Tangney, 1996) as a measure of offenders’ proneness to shame and proneness to guilt. Discriminant validity (e.g., vis-à-vis self-esteem, negative affect, social desirability/impression management) and convergent validity (e.g., vis-à-vis correlations with empathy, externalization of blame, anger, psychological symptoms, and substance use problems) was supported, paralleling results from community samples. Further, proneness to shame and guilt were differentially related to widely used risk measures from the field of criminal justice (e.g., criminal history, psychopathy, violence risk, antisocial personality). Guilt-proneness appears to be a protective factor, whereas there was no evidence that shame-proneness serves an inhibitory function. Subsequent analyses indicate these findings generalize quite well across gender and race. Implications for intervention and sentencing practices are discussed. PMID:21743757

  4. The HIV Prison Paradox: Agency and HIV-Positive Women's Experiences in Jail and Prison in Alabama.

    PubMed

    Sprague, Courtenay; Scanlon, Michael L; Radhakrishnan, Bharathi; Pantalone, David W

    2017-08-01

    Incarcerated women face significant barriers to achieve continuous HIV care. We employed a descriptive, exploratory design using qualitative methods and the theoretical construct of agency to investigate participants' self-reported experiences accessing HIV services in jail, in prison, and post-release in two Alabama cities. During January 2014, we conducted in-depth interviews with 25 formerly incarcerated HIV-positive women. Two researchers completed independent coding, producing preliminary codes from transcripts using content analysis. Themes were developed iteratively, verified, and refined. They encompassed (a) special rules for HIV-positive women: isolation, segregation, insults, food rationing, and forced disclosure; (b) absence of counseling following initial HIV diagnosis; and (c) HIV treatment impediments: delays, interruption, and denial. Participants deployed agentic strategies of accommodation, resistance, and care-seeking to navigate the social world of prison and HIV services. Findings illuminate the "HIV prison paradox": the chief opportunities that remain unexploited to engage and re-engage justice-involved women in the HIV care continuum.

  5. Traffic Safety Facts, 2001: Young Drivers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (DOT), Washington, DC.

    This document provides statistical information on U.S. traffic accidents involving young drivers. Data tables include: (1) driver fatalities and drivers involved in fatal crashes among drivers 15 to 20 years old, 1991-2001; (2) drivers involved in fatal crashes and driver involvement rates by age group, 2001; (3) drivers 15 to 20 years old…

  6. Young Drivers. Traffic Safety Facts, 2000.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (DOT), Washington, DC.

    This document provides statistical information on U.S. traffic accidents involving young drivers. Data tables include: (1) driver fatalities and drivers involved in fatal crashes among drivers 15 to 20 years old, 1990-2000; (2) drivers involved in fatal crashes and driver involvement rates by age group, 2000; (3) drivers 15 to 20 years old…

  7. Occupational Fatalities Among Driver/Sales Workers and Truck Drivers in the United States, 2003–2008

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Guang X.; Amandus, Harlan E.; Wu, Nan

    2015-01-01

    Background This study provides a national profile of occupational fatalities among truck drivers and driver-sales workers. Methods Data from the 2003–2008 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries were used. Cases were extracted specifically for occupational subcategories included in the Driver/Sales Workers and Truck Drivers occupational category: Driver/Sales Workers, Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers, and Light Truck or Delivery Services Drivers. Results In 2003–2008, the group Driver/Sales Workers and Truck Drivers had 5,568 occupational fatalities, representing 17% of all occupational fatalities in the United States. The majority of these fatalities were in the subgroup Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers (85%) and due to transportation incidents (80%). Older and male drivers had higher fatality rates than their counterparts. Conclusions Findings suggest a need for targeted interventions to reduce highway fatalities among heavy truck drivers. Better employment data are needed to separate the three occupational subcategories by worker characteristic and employment history for use in research and prevention efforts. PMID:24811905

  8. The strength of graduated drivers license programs and fatalities among teen drivers and passengers.

    PubMed

    Morrisey, Michael A; Grabowski, David C; Dee, Thomas S; Campbell, Christine

    2006-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of differentially stringent graduated drivers license programs on teen driver fatalities, day-time and night-time teen driver fatalities, fatalities of teen drivers with passengers present, and fatalities among teen passengers. The study uses 1992-2002 data on motor vehicle fatalities among 15-17-year-old drivers from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System to identify the effects of "good", "fair", and "marginal" GDL programs based upon designations by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Analysis is conducted using conditional negative binomial regressions with fixed effects. "Good" programs reduce total fatalities among young drivers by 19.4% (c.i. -33.0%, -5.9%). "Fair" programs reduce night-time young driver fatalities by 12.6% (c.i. -23.9%, -1.2%), but have no effect on day-time fatalities. "Marginal" programs had no statistically meaningful effect on driver fatalities. All three types of programs reduced teen passenger fatalities, but the effects of limitations on the number of passengers appear to have had only minimal effects in reducing fatalities among young drivers themselves. Stronger GDL programs are more effective than weaker programs in reducing teenage motor vehicle fatalities.

  9. Efficacy of side airbags in reducing driver deaths in driver-side car and SUV collisions.

    PubMed

    McCartt, Anne T; Kyrychenko, Sergey Y

    2007-06-01

    To estimate the efficacy of side airbags in preventing driver deaths in passenger vehicles struck on the driver side. Risk ratios for driver deaths per driver-side collision were computed for side airbag-equipped cars and SUVs, relative to vehicles without side airbags. Driver fatality ratios also were calculated for the same vehicles in front and rear impacts, and these were used to adjust the side crash risk ratios for differences in fatality risk unrelated to side airbags. Risk ratios were calculated separately for side airbags providing torso-only protection and side airbags with head protection; almost all head protecting airbags also had airbags protecting the torso. Car driver death risk in driver-side crashes was reduced by 37 percent for head protecting airbags and 26 percent for torso-only side airbags. Car driver death risk was reduced for older and younger drivers, males and females, and drivers of small and midsize cars, and when the striking vehicle was an SUV/pickup or a car/minivan. Death risk for drivers of SUVs was reduced by 52 percent with head protecting side airbags and by 30 percent with torso-only airbags. The effectiveness of side airbags could not be assessed for pickups and minivans due to the small number of these vehicles with airbags involved in crashes. Side airbags substantially reduce the risk of car and SUV driver death in driver-side collisions. Making side airbags with head protection available to drivers and right front passengers in all passenger vehicles could reduce the number of fatalities in motor vehicle crashes in the United States by about 2,000 each year.

  10. Examination of supplemental driver training and online basic driver education courses : traffic tech.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-08-01

    The first six months of unsupervised driving are the most : hazardous in a novice drivers driving experience. Most : States adopted graduated driver licensing (GDL) systems : to give novice drivers experience in a protective environment, : gradual...

  11. An application of the driver behavior questionnaire to Chinese carless young drivers.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Qian; Jiang, Zuhua; Zheng, Dongpeng; Wang, Yifan; Man, Dong

    2013-01-01

    Carless young drivers refers to those drivers aged between 18 and 25 years who have a driver's license but seldom have opportunities to practice their driving skills because they do not have their own cars. Due to China's lower private car ownership, many young drivers turn into carless young drivers after licensure, and the safety issue associated with them has become a matter of great concern in China. Because few studies have examined the driving behaviors of these drivers, this study aims to utilize the Driver Behavior Questionnaire (DBQ) to investigate the self-reported driving behaviors of Chinese carless young drivers. A total of 523 Chinese carless young drivers (214 females, 309 males) with an average age of 21.91 years completed a questionnaire including the 27-item DBQ and demographics. The data were first randomized into 2 subsamples for factor analysis and then combined together for the following analyses. Both an exploratory factor analysis (EFA, n = 174) and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA, n = 349) were performed to investigate the factor structure of the DBQ. Correlation analysis was conducted to examine the relationships between the demographics and the DBQ scales' variables. Multivariate linear regression and logistic regression were performed to investigate the prediction of the DBQ scales and crash involvement in the previous year. The EFA produced a 4-factor structure identified as errors, violations, attention lapses, and memory lapses, and the CFA revealed a good model fit after the removal of one item with a low factor loading and the permission of the error covariance between some items. The Chinese carless young drivers reported a comparatively low level of aberrant driving behaviors. The 3 most frequently reported behaviors were all lapses and the 3 least were all violations. Gender was the only significant predictor of the 2 lapses scales and lifetime mileage was the only significant predictor of the violations scale. Only the

  12. Licensing procedures for older drivers.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-09-01

    This study examined the driver licensing procedures in all 50 States as they apply to the older (65+) driver. A literature review examined reports of possible declines in older driver capabilities and the ability of a driver licensing agency to scree...

  13. My older sibling was drunk - younger siblings' drunkenness in relation to parental monitoring and the parent-adolescent relationship.

    PubMed

    Gossrau-Breen, Diana; Kuntsche, Emmanuel; Gmel, Gerhard

    2010-10-01

    This study explored the links between having older siblings who get drunk, satisfaction with the parent-adolescent relationship, parental monitoring, and adolescents' risky drinking. Regression models were conducted based on a national representative sample of 3725 8th to 10th graders in Switzerland (mean age 15.0, SD = .93) who indicated having older siblings. Results showed that both parental factors and older siblings' drinking behaviour shape younger siblings' frequency of risky drinking. Parental monitoring showed a linear dose-response relationship, and siblings' influence had an additive effect. There was a non-linear interaction effect between parent-adolescent relationship and older sibling's drunkenness. The findings suggest that, apart from avoiding an increasingly unsatisfactory relationship with their children, parental monitoring appears to be important in preventing risky drinking by their younger children, even if the older sibling drinks in such a way. However, a satisfying relationship with parents does not seem to be sufficient to counterbalance older siblings' influence.

  14. Simulator training with a forward collision warning system: effects on driver-system interactions and driver trust.

    PubMed

    Koustanaï, Arnaud; Cavallo, Viola; Delhomme, Patricia; Mas, Arnaud

    2012-10-01

    The study addressed the role of familiarization on a driving simulator with a forward collision warning (FCW) and investigated its impact on driver behavior. Drivers need a good understanding of how an FCW system functions to trust it and use it properly. Theoretical and empirical data suggest that exploring the capacities and limitations of the FCW during the learning period improves operating knowledge and leads to increased driver trust in the system and better driver-system interactions.The authors tested this hypothesis by comparing groups of drivers differing in FCW familiarity. During the familiarization phase, familiarized drivers were trained on the simulator using the FCW, unfamiliarized drivers simply read an FCW manual, and control drivers had no contact with the FCW. During the test, drivers drove the simulator and had to interact with traffic; both familiarized and unfamiliarized drivers used the FCW, whereas controls did not. Simulator familiarization improved driver understanding of FCW operation. Driver-system interactions were more effective: Familiarized drivers had no collisions, longer time headways, and better reactions in most situations. Familiarization increased trust in the FCW but did not raise system acceptance. Familiarization on the simulator had a positive effect on driver-system interactions and on trust in the system. The limitations of the familiarization method are discussed in relation to the driving simulator methodology. Practicing on a driving simulator with driving-assistance systems could facilitate their use during real driving.

  15. Graduated driver licensing programs and fatal crashes of 16-year-old drivers: a national evaluation.

    PubMed

    Chen, Li-Hui; Baker, Susan P; Li, Guohua

    2006-07-01

    Implementation of graduated driver licensing programs is associated with reductions in crash rates of young drivers, but graduated driver licensing programs vary in their components. The impact of programs with different components is unknown. The purpose of this work was to determine which graduated driver licensing programs are associated with the greatest reductions in fatal motor vehicle crashes involving 16-year-old drivers. We conducted a retrospective study of all 16-year-old drivers involved in fatal crashes in the United States from 1994 through 2004 using data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System and the US Census Bureau. We measured incidence rate ratios of fatal motor vehicle crashes involving 16-year-old drivers according to graduated driver licensing programs, adjusted for state and year. Compared with state quarters with no graduated driver licensing program components, reductions of 16% to 21% in fatal crash involvement rates of 16-year-old drivers occurred with programs that included > or = 3-month mandatory waiting period, nighttime driving restriction, and either > or = 30 hours of supervised driving or passenger restriction. Reductions of 18% to 21% occurred in state quarters with programs that included > or = 5 of the 7 components examined. Drivers aged 20 to 24 or 25 to 29 years did not experience significant reductions. Comprehensive graduated driver licensing programs are associated with reductions of approximately 20% in 16-year-old drivers' fatal crash involvement rates. The greatest benefit seems to be associated with programs that include age requirements and > or = 3 months of waiting before the intermediate stage, nighttime driving restriction, and either > or = 30 hours of supervised driving or passenger restriction.

  16. Women in Transition to Health: A Theory-Based Intervention to Increase Engagement in Care for Women Recently Released From Jail or Prison.

    PubMed

    Colbert, Alison M; Durand, Vanessa

    2016-01-01

    The time after incarceration is widely regarded as tenuous and stressful, and for women living with chronic illness, self-management is yet another stressor. Intervening before the individual is overwhelmed is critical to ensuring success. In this article the Women in Transition to Health, a nurse-led intervention based on Lazarus and Folkman's Transactional Model of Stress and Coping, designed to improve health outcomes in women recently released from jail or prison is described. Motivational interviewing and case management are used to strengthen coping skills and encourage engagement in care. Using the stress model to address the unique needs of this population holds promise for improving health and quality of life.

  17. Enhancing attachment security in the infants of women in a jail-diversion program.

    PubMed

    Cassidy, Jude; Ziv, Yair; Stupica, Brandi; Sherman, Laura J; Butler, Heidi; Karfgin, Andrea; Cooper, Glen; Hoffman, Kent T; Powell, Bert

    2010-07-01

    Pregnant female offenders face multiple adversities that make successful parenting difficult. As a result, their children are at risk of developing insecure attachment and attachment disorganization, both of which are associated with an increased likelihood of poor developmental outcomes. We evaluated the outcomes of participants in Tamar's Children, a 15-month jail-diversion intervention for pregnant, nonviolent offenders with a history of substance abuse. All women received extensive wrap-around social services as well as the Circle of Security Perinatal Protocol (Cooper, Hoffman, & Powell, 2003). We present data on 20 women and their infants who completed the full dosage of treatment (a residential-living phase from pregnancy until infant age six months and community-living phase until 12 months). Results indicated that (1) program infants had rates of attachment security and attachment disorganization comparable to rates typically found in low-risk samples (and more favorable than those typically found in high-risk samples); (2) program mothers had levels of maternal sensitivity comparable to mothers in an existing community comparison group; and (3) improvement over time emerged for maternal depressive symptomatology, but not other aspects of maternal functioning. Given the lack of a randomized control group, results are discussed in terms of the exploratory, program-development nature of the study.

  18. Driving Behavior among Different Groups of Iranian Drivers Based on Driver Coping Styles

    PubMed Central

    Lotfi, Saeid; Yazdanirad, Saeid; Pourabdiyan, Siyamak; Hassanzadeh, Akbar; Lotfi, Aliakbar

    2017-01-01

    Background: This study aimed to assess driving behavior of Iranian drivers based on their coping styles (problem-oriented, emotion-oriented, and avoiding). Methods: This study was conducted on 610 drivers divided into four different groups. The drivers’ behaviors and coping styles were evaluated using driver behavior questionnaire (DBQ) and coping inventory for stressful situations. Results: The results showed a significant difference among the three coping styles regarding the mean scores of DBQ dimensions (P < 0.001). In addition, the emotion-oriented drivers obtained higher mean scores compared to those with other coping styles. Conclusions: It can be concluded that emotion-oriented drivers were more susceptible to crashes compared to those with problem-solving and avoidance coping styles. PMID:28757929

  19. Acoustic Levitation With One Driver

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wang, T. G.; Rudnick, I.; Elleman, D. D.; Stoneburner, J. D.

    1985-01-01

    Report discusses acoustic levitation in rectangular chamber using one driver mounted at corner. Placement of driver at corner enables it to couple effectively to acoustic modes along all three axes. Use of single driver reduces cost, complexity and weight of levitation system below those of three driver system.

  20. Idaho Driver Education Instructional Guide. Revised.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Idaho State Dept. of Education, Boise.

    This driver education instructional safety guide is organized in three sections: Driver Education; Motorcycle Education; and Driver Education for the Handicapped. The driver education section contains 10 units dealing with the following topics: parent orientation; student orientation; basic control skills; driver performance; driving regulations;…

  1. Continuity of drunk and drugged driving behaviors four years post-college.

    PubMed

    Caldeira, Kimberly M; Arria, Amelia M; Allen, Hannah K; Bugbee, Brittany A; Vincent, Kathryn B; O'Grady, Kevin E

    2017-11-01

    Driving under the influence of alcohol is a leading cause of injury and premature death among young adults, and college-educated individuals are at particularly high risk. Less is known about driving under the influence of other drugs, which is on the rise. This study describes prospective seven-year trends in alcohol and other drug (AOD)-involved driving among a young-adult sample beginning with their second year of college (i.e., Years 2-8), and documents the extent of continuity in such behaviors across time. Originally recruited as incoming first-year students at one large public university, participants (n=1194) were interviewed annually about how frequently they drove while drunk/intoxicated (DWI), after drinking any alcohol (DAD), and/or while under the influence of other drugs (DD). Follow-up rates were high (>75% annually). Among participants with access to drive a car, annual prevalence peaked in Year 4 (modal age 21) for both DWI (24.3% wt ) and DD (19.1% wt ) and declined significantly thereafter through Year 8 (both ps<0.05). DAD was far more prevalent than DWI or DD, increasing from 40.5% wt in Year 2 to 66.9% wt in Year 5, and plateauing thereafter. Among marijuana-using participants, likelihood of DD was consistently greater than the likelihood of DWI among Heavy Episodic and Light-to-Moderate drinkers, and it declined significantly during Years 5-8 (p<0.05). Post-college declines in heavy drinking and DWI prevalence were encouraging but did not necessarily translate to reductions in likelihood of engaging in DWI, depending on drinking pattern. College-educated individuals represent an important target for AOD-involved driving prevention. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Commercial Driver Medical Examinations

    PubMed Central

    Moffitt, Gary; Hanowski, Richard J.; Kales, Stefanos N.; Porter, Richard J.; Hegmann, Kurt T.

    2015-01-01

    Objective: The objective of this study was to assess relationships between body mass index (BMI) and comorbid conditions within a large sample of truck drivers. Methods: Commercial driver medical examination data from 88,246 commercial drivers between 2005 and 2012 were analyzed for associations between BMI, medical disorders, and driver certification. Results: Most drivers were obese (53.3%, BMI >30.0 kg/m2) and morbidly obese (26.6%, BMI >35.0 kg/m2), higher than prior reports. Obese drivers were less likely to be certified for 2 years and more likely to report heart disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, nervous disorders, sleep disorders, and chronic low back pain (all P < 0.0001). There are relationships between multiple potentially disqualifying conditions and increasing obesity (P < 0.0001). Morbid obesity prevalence increased 8.9% and prevalence of three or more multiple conditions increased fourfold between 2005 and 2012. Conclusions: Obesity is related to multiple medical factors as well as increasing numbers of conditions that limit driving certification. PMID:25710607

  3. Graduated driver licensing decal law: effect on young probationary drivers.

    PubMed

    Curry, Allison E; Pfeiffer, Melissa R; Localio, Russell; Durbin, Dennis R

    2013-01-01

    Decal laws have been implemented internationally to facilitate police enforcement of graduated driver licensing (GDL) restrictions (e.g., passenger limit, nighttime curfew) but have not been evaluated. New Jersey implemented the first decal law in the U.S. on May 1, 2010. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of New Jersey's law on the rate of citations issued for violation of GDL restrictions and police-reported crashes among probationary drivers aged <21 years and to estimate the number of probationary drivers whose crashes were prevented by the law. New Jersey's licensing and crash databases were linked from January 1, 2008 to May 31, 2011, and each driver's license status, age, and outcome status were ascertained for each month. Monthly rates were calculated as the proportion of probationary drivers who experienced the outcome in that month. The pre-law period was defined as January 2008-January 2010 and the post-law period as May 2010-May 2011. Negative binomial regression models with robust SEs were used to determine the law's effect on crash and citation rates (adjusted for gender, seasonal trends, and overall trends) and estimate prevented crashes. Analyses were conducted in 2012. In the first year post-law, there was a 14% increase in the GDL citation rate (adjusted rate ratio 1.14 [95% CI=1.05, 1.24]); a 9% reduction in the police-reported crash rate (adjusted rate ratio 0.91 [95% CI=0.86, 0.97]), and an estimated 1624 young probationary drivers for whom a crash was prevented. Findings suggest that the law is positively affecting probationary drivers' safety. Results contribute to building the evidence base for the effectiveness of decal laws and provide valuable information to U.S. and international policymakers who are considering adding decal laws to enhance existing GDL laws. Copyright © 2013 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Did Ontario's Zero Tolerance & Graduated Licensing Law Reduce Youth Drunk Driving?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carpenter, Christopher

    2006-01-01

    On April 1, 1994, Ontario, Canada, instituted a new graduated driver license (GDL) system that effectively set the legal blood alcohol content (BAC) threshold at zero for the first few years of a youth's driving eligibility. I use data from the 1983-2001 Ontario Student Drug Use Surveys (OSDUS) to examine whether the Zero Tolerance (ZT) policy…

  5. Identifying driver characteristics influencing overtaking crashes.

    PubMed

    Mohaymany, Afshin Shariat; Kashani, Ali Tavakoli; Ranjbari, Andishe

    2010-08-01

    To identify the most important driver characteristics influencing crash-causing overtaking maneuvers on 2-lane, 2-way rural roads of Iran. Based on the crash data for rural roads of Iran over 3 years from 2006 to 2008, the classification and regression tree (CART) method combined with the quasi-induced exposure concept was applied for 4 independent variables and one target variable of "driver status" with 2 classes of at fault and not at fault. The independent variables were vehicle type, driver's age, driving license, and driving experience of the driver-the latter 2 driver characteristics are relatively new in traffic safety studies. According to the data set, 16,809 drivers were involved in 2-lane, 2-way rural roads overtaking crashes. The analysis revealed that drivers who are younger than 28 years old, whose driving license is type 2--a common driving license that is for driving with passenger car and light vehicles--and whose driving experience is less than 2 years are most probably responsible for overtaking crashes. It was indicated that vehicle type is the most important factor associated with drivers being responsible for the crashes. The results also revealed that younger drivers (18-28 years) are most likely to be at fault in overtaking crashes. Therefore, enforcement and education should be more concentrated on this age group. Due to the incompliant nature of this group, changing the type and amount of traffic fines is essential for more preventing objectives. The research also found 2 relatively new factors of driving license and driving experience to have considerable effects on drivers being at fault, such that type 2 licensed drivers are more responsible compared to type 1 (a driving license for driving with all motor vehicles, which has some age and experience requirements) licensed drivers or drivers with a special license (a driving license with special vehicle types). Moreover, drivers with less than 2 years' driving experience are more

  6. Use of Sentinel Surveillance and Geographic Information Systems to Monitor Trends in HIV Prevalence, Incidence, and Related Risk Behavior among Women Undergoing Syphilis Screening in a Jail Setting

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Andrea A.; Klausner, Jeffrey D.; Goldenson, Joe; Kent, Charlotte; Liska, Sally; McFarland, Willi

    2008-01-01

    Innovative methods are needed to systematically track the HIV epidemic and appropriately target prevention and care programs in vulnerable populations of women. We conducted sentinel surveillance among women entering the jail system of San Francisco from 1999 to 2001 to track trends in HIV incidence, HIV prevalence, and related risk behavior. Using geographic information software (GIS), we triangulated findings to examine the spatial distribution of risk and disease. A total of 1,577 female arrestees voluntarily screened for sexually transmitted diseases at intake were included. HIV incidence, estimated using the serologic testing algorithm for recent HIV seroconversion (STARHS), was 0.4% per year (95% confidence interval [95%CI] = 0.1–2.1). HIV prevalence was 1.8% (95%CI = 1.1–2.4). HIV infection was independently associated with age 30 to 39 years compared to all other ages, African-American race/ethnicity vs. non-African-American, and recent injection drug use. Maps showed that the communities in which arrested women reside are also those with the highest concentrations of newly detected female HIV cases, AIDS cases, and clients of substance use programs. The combined strategy of using sentinel surveillance in the jail setting and GIS to map the spatial distribution of disease provides a useful tool to identify patterns of risk in hard-to-reach, vulnerable populations of women. PMID:18785013

  7. Cognitive characteristics of older Japanese drivers.

    PubMed

    Susilowati, Indri H; Yasukouchi, Akira

    2012-02-29

    Some causes of accidents among older drivers are: not paying attention to traffic signals; missing stop lines; and having to deal with and misjudging emergency situations. These causes of accidents reveal problems with attention and cognition. Such incidents are also related to driver perception and stress-coping mechanisms. It is important to examine the relation of stress reactions to attention and cognition as a factor influencing the causes of accidents commonly involving older drivers. Subjects were 10 young drivers (23.3 ± 3.33 years) and 25 older drivers divided into two groups (older1 [60 to 65 years] and older2 [> 65 years]). This study revealed the correlation within driver stress inventory and driver coping questionnaires parameters was observed only in older drivers. They also needed a longer response time for Trail Making Test A and B. The factors affected the attention and cognition of older drivers by age but not driving experience itself, and coping parameters such as emotion focus, reappraisal, and avoidance were not included as stress inventory parameters. Being prone to fatigue was less for younger drivers than older drivers. Because they have shorter distances, shorter drive times, and no need for expressways, older drivers also had a significantly lower risk of thrill-seeking behaviour and more patience. The intervention addressing their attention skills, aggressive feelings, and emotion focus should be considered. The technological improvements in cars will make older drivers feel safer and make driving easier which might lower the attention paid to the road, and regular driving training might be needed to assess and enhance their safety.

  8. Efficacy of side air bags in reducing driver deaths in driver-side collisions.

    PubMed

    Braver, Elisa R; Kyrychenko, Sergey Y

    2004-03-15

    Side air bags, a relatively new technology designed to protect the head and/or torso in side-impact collisions, are becoming increasingly common in automobiles. Their efficacy in preventing US driver deaths among cars struck on the near (driver's) side was examined using data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System and the General Estimates System. Risk ratios for driver death per nearside collision during 1999-2001 were computed for head/torso and torso-only side air bags in cars from model years 1997-2002, relative to cars without side air bags. Confounding was addressed by adjusting nearside risk ratios for front- and rear-impact mortality, which is unaffected by side air bags. Risk ratios were 0.55 (95% confidence interval: 0.43, 0.71) for head/torso air bags and 0.89 (95% confidence interval: 0.79, 1.01) for torso-only air bags. Risk was reduced when cars with head/torso air bags were struck by cars/minivans (significant) or pickup trucks/sport utility vehicles (nonsignificant). Risk was reduced in two-vehicle collisions and among male drivers and drivers aged 16-64 years. Protective effects associated with torso-only air bags were observed in single-vehicle crashes and among male and 16- to 64-year-old drivers. Head/torso side air bags appear to be very effective in reducing nearside driver deaths, whereas torso-only air bags appear less protective.

  9. Cognitive characteristics of older Japanese drivers

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Some causes of accidents among older drivers are: not paying attention to traffic signals; missing stop lines; and having to deal with and misjudging emergency situations. These causes of accidents reveal problems with attention and cognition. Such incidents are also related to driver perception and stress-coping mechanisms. It is important to examine the relation of stress reactions to attention and cognition as a factor influencing the causes of accidents commonly involving older drivers. Finding Subjects were 10 young drivers (23.3 ± 3.33 years) and 25 older drivers divided into two groups (older1 [60 to 65 years] and older2 [> 65 years]). This study revealed the correlation within driver stress inventory and driver coping questionnaires parameters was observed only in older drivers. They also needed a longer response time for Trail Making Test A and B. The factors affected the attention and cognition of older drivers by age but not driving experience itself, and coping parameters such as emotion focus, reappraisal, and avoidance were not included as stress inventory parameters. Being prone to fatigue was less for younger drivers than older drivers. Because they have shorter distances, shorter drive times, and no need for expressways, older drivers also had a significantly lower risk of thrill-seeking behaviour and more patience. Conclusion The intervention addressing their attention skills, aggressive feelings, and emotion focus should be considered. The technological improvements in cars will make older drivers feel safer and make driving easier which might lower the attention paid to the road, and regular driving training might be needed to assess and enhance their safety. PMID:22738158

  10. Student drivers: a study of fatal motor vehicle crashes involving 16-year-old drivers.

    PubMed

    Gonzales, Michael M; Dickinson, L Miriam; DiGuiseppi, Carolyn; Lowenstein, Steven R

    2005-02-01

    Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for US teenagers, accounting for 40% of fatalities. The purpose of this study was to compare novice (aged 16 years) and experienced (aged 25 to 49 years) drivers involved in fatal motor vehicle crashes with respect to crash characteristics and driver behaviors. This cross-sectional study of fatal motor vehicle crashes in Colorado used data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (1995 to 2001). Driver and crash variables were compared in the 2 age groups using separate logistic regression models, adjusted for sex, geographic locale, and year. Two thousand four hundred twenty fatal motor vehicle crashes were included; 158 fatalities (6.5%) were novice drivers. Novice drivers were more likely to have been speeding (odds ratio [OR] 1.87, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.34 to 3.08); driving recklessly (OR 4.78, 95% CI 3.31 to 6.92); charged with a traffic violation (OR 3.08, 95% CI 2.20 to 4.31); in a single-vehicle (OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.32 to 2.57), rollover (OR 1.36, 95% CI 0.97 to 1.91) or run-off-the-road (OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.03 to 2.30) crash; and carrying 2 (OR 4.52, 95% CI 2.75 to 7.41) or more (OR 4.07, 95% CI 2.49 to 6.55) passengers. Safety belt nonuse was high for novice (48%) and experienced (42%) drivers (OR 1.19, 95% CI 0.86 to 1.67). Novice drivers had older cars (mean difference 1.5 years, 95% CI 0.37 to 2.57 years). Novice drivers were less likely to be involved in crashes caused by alcohol (OR 0.24, 95% CI 0.14 to 0.41) or adverse weather (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.19 to 0.75) and to be driving a sport utility vehicle (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.39 to 0.97). Fatal motor vehicle crashes involving novice drivers are characterized by speeding, recklessness, single-vehicle and rollover crashes, and traffic law violations, suggesting that novice drivers bear considerable responsibility for their fatal crashes. Moreover, almost half of 16-year-old drivers involved in fatal motor vehicle crashes were not wearing their safety

  11. Novice drivers' individual trajectories of driver behavior over the first three years of driving.

    PubMed

    Roman, Gabriela D; Poulter, Damian; Barker, Edward; McKenna, Frank P; Rowe, Richard

    2015-09-01

    Identifying the changes in driving behavior that underlie the decrease in crash risk over the first few months of driving is key to efforts to reduce injury and fatality risk in novice drivers. This study represented a secondary data analysis of 1148 drivers who participated in the UK Cohort II study. The Driver Behavior Questionnaire was completed at 6 months and 1, 2 and 3 years after licensure. Linear latent growth models indicated significant increases across development in all four dimensions of aberrant driving behavior under scrutiny: aggressive violations, ordinary violations, errors and slips. Unconditional and conditional latent growth class analyses showed that the observed heterogeneity in individual trajectories was explained by the presence of multiple homogeneous groups of drivers, each exhibiting specific trajectories of aberrant driver behavior. Initial levels of aberrant driver behavior were important in identifying sub-groups of drivers. All classes showed positive slopes; there was no evidence of a group of drivers whose aberrant behavior decreased over time that might explain the decrease in crash involvement observed over this period. Male gender and younger age predicted membership of trajectories with higher levels of aberrant behavior. These findings highlight the importance of early intervention for improving road safety. We discuss the implications of our findings for understanding the behavioral underpinnings of the decrease in crash involvement observed in the early months of driving. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  12. Graduated driver licensing for reducing motor vehicle crashes among young drivers.

    PubMed

    Russell, Kelly F; Vandermeer, Ben; Hartling, Lisa

    2011-10-05

    Graduated driver licensing (GDL) has been proposed as a means of reducing crash rates among novice drivers by gradually introducing them to higher risk driving situations. To examine the effectiveness of GDL in reducing crash rates among young drivers. Studies were identified through searching MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Healthstar, Web of Science, NTIS Bibliographic Database, TRIS Online, SIGLE, the World Wide Web, conference proceedings, consultation with experts and reference lists in relevant published literature. The searches were conducted from the time of inception to May 2009, and the Cochrane Injuries Group conducted an updated search of the TRANSPORT database in September 2009. Studies were included if: 1) they compared outcomes pre- and post-implementation of a GDL program within the same jurisdiction, 2) comparisons were made between jurisdictions with and without GDL, or 3) both. Studies had to report at least one objective, quantified outcome. Results were not pooled due to substantial heterogeneity. Percentage change was calculated for each year after the intervention, using one year prior to the intervention as baseline. Results were adjusted by internal controls. Analyses were stratified by denominators (population, licensed drivers). Results were calculated for the different crash types and presented for 16 year-olds alone as well as all teenage drivers. We included 34 studies evaluating 21 GDL programs and 2 analyses of >40 US states. GDL programs were implemented in the US (n=16), Canada (n=3), New Zealand (n=1), and Australia (n=1) and varied in their restrictions during the intermediate stage. Based on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) classification, eleven programs were good, four were fair, five were marginal, one was poor and two could not be assessed. Reductions in crash rates were seen in all jurisdictions and for all crash types. Among 16 year-old drivers, the median decrease in per population adjusted overall crash rates

  13. Comparison of older and younger novice driver crash rates: Informing the need for extended Graduated Driver Licensing restrictions.

    PubMed

    Curry, Allison E; Metzger, Kristina B; Williams, Allan F; Tefft, Brian C

    2017-11-01

    Few previous studies have directly compared crash rates of older and younger novice drivers. To inform discussion about whether Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) policies that are applied in the US for younger novice drivers should be applied to older novice drivers, we conducted a longitudinal study to examine overall, nighttime, and multiple passenger crash rates over the initial four years of licensure differ for novice drivers licensed at different ages. Using data from the New Jersey Traffic Safety Outcomes (NJ-TSO) data warehouse, we selected all NJ drivers who obtained their initial intermediate driver's license from 2006 through 2014 and had at least one month of follow-up from the date of licensure to study end or death (n=1,034,835). Novice drivers were grouped based on age at licensure: age 17; 18-20; 21-24; and 25 or older. We estimated monthly rates for overall crashes (per 10,000 licensed drivers) as well as: late night crashes (11:01 p.m.-4:59 a.m.); early night crashes (9:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m.); and multiple passenger crashes (two or more passengers). Average monthly rates were calculated for specific relevant time periods and Poisson regression models were used to compare rates: (1) between novice driver groups with the same time since licensure; (2) over the first 48 months of licensure within each novice driver group; and (3) between same-aged 21-year-old drivers with varying lengths of licensure. Although initial (three months post-licensure) overall crash rates of novice NJ drivers age 21 and older were higher than rates of same-aged experienced drivers, they were substantially lower than initial rates for 17- to 20-year-old novice drivers, who are licensed under GDL policies. Moreover, older novice drivers experience much less steep crash reductions over the first year of licensure than younger novice drivers. Nighttime crash rates among the 21- to 24-year old and aged 25 and older novice driver groups were stable over the first year of licensure

  14. Preliminary evaluation of the North Carolina graduated driver licensing system : effects on young driver crashes

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2000-07-01

    In December 1997, North Carolina became the second state to enact a comprehensive Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) system. The purpose of the GSL is to reduce young driver crashes by introducing beginning drivers to the full range of driving experien...

  15. Motor vehicle driver injury and socioeconomic status: a cohort study with prospective and retrospective driver injuries.

    PubMed

    Whitlock, G; Norton, R; Clark, T; Pledger, M; Jackson, R; MacMahon, S

    2003-07-01

    To investigate the association between motor vehicle driver injury and socioeconomic status. Cohort study with prospective and retrospective outcomes. New Zealand. 10 525 adults (volunteer sample of a multi-industry workforce, n=8008; and a random sample of urban electoral rolls, n=2517). Motor vehicle driver injury resulting in admission of the driver to hospital or the driver's death, or both, during the period 1988-98; hospitalisation and mortality data were obtained by record linkage to national health databases. After adjustment for age and sex, driver injury risk was inversely associated with both occupational status (p for linear trend <0.0001) and educational level (p for linear trend =0.007). Participants in the lowest approximate quartile of occupational status were four times as likely (HR 4.17, 95% CI 2.31 to 7.55) to have experienced a driver injury during follow up as participants in the highest approximate quartile. Participants who had been to secondary school for less than two years were twice as likely (HR 2.26, 95% CI 1.34 to 3.81) to have experienced a driver injury as those who had been to university or polytechnic. There was little evidence that driver injury risk was associated with neighbourhood income (p for linear trend =0.12) CONCLUSIONS: Occupational status and educational level seem to be important determinants of driver injury risk. Driver injury countermeasures should be targeted to people in low status occupations, as well as to people with comparatively little formal education.

  16. Estimating the over-involvement of suspended, revoked, and unlicensed drivers as at-fault drivers in California fatal crashes.

    PubMed

    Brar, Sukhvir S

    2014-09-01

    Quasi-induced exposure analysis was used to estimate annual fatal crash involvement rates for validly licensed, suspended or revoked (S/R), and unlicensed drivers in California from 1987 through 2009 using fatal crash data obtained from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System and crash culpability determinations from the California Highway Patrol's Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System. Although there was some year-to-year fluctuation in the annual estimates, S/R and unlicensed drivers were over-involved as at-fault drivers in fatal crashes during every year of the 23-year time period relative to validly licensed drivers. The fatal crash involvement ratios combined across all years were 0.86 for validly licensed drivers, 2.23 for S/R drivers, and 2.34 for unlicensed drivers. Hence, compared to validly licensed drivers, the odds of being at-fault for a fatal crash were 160% higher for S/R drivers (involvement ratio=2.60) and 173% higher for unlicensed drivers (involvement ratio=2.73). The excess risks of S/R and unlicensed drivers are somewhat lower than estimates found in a prior study using the same technique, but the results nonetheless provide evidence that S/R and unlicensed drivers are much more hazardous on the road than are validly licensed drivers and emphasize the importance of using strong countermeasures-including vehicle impoundment-to reduce their high crash risk. These findings support interventions to help reduce driving among S/R and unlicensed drivers. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  17. "The little squealer" or "the virtual guardian angel"? Young drivers' and their parents' perspective on using a driver monitoring technology and its implications for parent-young driver communication.

    PubMed

    Guttman, Nurit; Gesser-Edelsburg, Anat

    2011-02-01

    In-vehicle driving monitoring technologies have the potential to enable young drivers to learn from self-assessment. However, their use is largely dependent on parental involvement. A total of 79 interviews were conducted with young drivers and parents regarding this technology and its use. Most had the experience of having an in-vehicle data recorder installed in the vehicle driven by the young drivers. Parents and the young drivers expressed both appreciation as well as reservations about its potential as a means to enhance the driving safety of young drivers. A surprising finding was that some parents did not check the feedback and said they relied on the young driver to do so. Main concerns related to privacy, parent-young driver relationship, self-esteem and confidence, constructive use of the feedback data, and the limitations of the documentation that can be done by the technology. Providing parents and young drivers with a support system and tools to discuss and utilize the feedback are underscored. Challenges include addressing the invasion of young drivers' privacy and gender differences, and using the monitoring-capacity of the technology to enhance safe driving practices. Implications for programs to enhance communication and a dialogical approach between parents and young drivers are discussed. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. A comparison of drug use in driver fatalities and similarly exposed drivers

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1977-07-01

    Author's abstract: Crash information, urine, blood and bile samples from 900 fatally injured drivers were collected by medical examiners in 22 areas of the country. Randomly selected living drivers were interviewed at times and places of recent fatal...

  19. Motor vehicle driver injury and socioeconomic status: a cohort study with prospective and retrospective driver injuries

    PubMed Central

    Whitlock, G; Norton, R; Clark, T; Pledger, M; Jackson, R; MacMahon, S

    2003-01-01

    Study objective: To investigate the association between motor vehicle driver injury and socioeconomic status. Design: Cohort study with prospective and retrospective outcomes. Setting: New Zealand. Participants: 10 525 adults (volunteer sample of a multi-industry workforce, n=8008; and a random sample of urban electoral rolls, n=2517). Outcome measure: Motor vehicle driver injury resulting in admission of the driver to hospital or the driver's death, or both, during the period 1988–98; hospitalisation and mortality data were obtained by record linkage to national health databases. Main results: After adjustment for age and sex, driver injury risk was inversely associated with both occupational status (p for linear trend <0.0001) and educational level (p for linear trend =0.007). Participants in the lowest approximate quartile of occupational status were four times as likely (HR 4.17, 95% CI 2.31 to 7.55) to have experienced a driver injury during follow up as participants in the highest approximate quartile. Participants who had been to secondary school for less than two years were twice as likely (HR 2.26, 95% CI 1.34 to 3.81) to have experienced a driver injury as those who had been to university or polytechnic. There was little evidence that driver injury risk was associated with neighbourhood income (p for linear trend =0.12) Conclusions: Occupational status and educational level seem to be important determinants of driver injury risk. Driver injury countermeasures should be targeted to people in low status occupations, as well as to people with comparatively little formal education. PMID:12821697

  20. Motor vehicle accident or driver suicide? Identifying cases of failed driver suicide in the trauma setting.

    PubMed

    Henderson, Antony F; Joseph, Anthony P

    2012-01-01

    Many authors have suggested that some road traffic crashes are disguised suicide attempts. A case report and literature review is used to explore this claim and to examine the frequency and risk factors associated with driver suicide. The author concludes the methodological difficulty of establishing the driver's intent of suicide accounts for an under-estimation of the frequency of this event and that many cases of driver suicide go unrecognised. Familiarity with the risk factors associated with driver suicide may assist in the identification of cases of failed driver suicide and referral to psychiatric services. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Driver behavior analysis for right-turn drivers at signalized intersections using SHRP 2 naturalistic driving study data.

    PubMed

    Wu, Jianqing; Xu, Hao

    2017-12-01

    Understanding driver behavior is important for traffic safety and operation, especially at intersections where different traffic movements conflict. While most driver-behavior studies are based on simulation, this paper documents the analysis of driver-behavior at signalized intersections with the SHRP 2 Naturalistic Driving Study (NDS) data. This study analyzes the different influencing factors on the operation (speed control) and observation of right-turn drivers. A total of 300 NDS trips at six signalized intersections were used, including the NDS time-series sensor data, the forward videos and driver face videos. Different factors of drivers, vehicles, roads and environments were studied for their influence on driver behavior. An influencing index function was developed and the index was calculated for each influencing factor to quantitatively describe its influencing level. The influencing index was applied to prioritize the factors, which facilitates development and selection of safety countermeasures to improve intersection safety. Drivers' speed control was analyzed under different conditions with consideration of the prioritized influencing factors. Vehicle type, traffic signal status, conflicting traffic, conflicting pedestrian and driver age group were identified as the five major influencing factors on driver observation. This research revealed that drivers have high acceleration and low observation frequency under Right-Turn-On-Red (RTOR), which constituted potential danger for other roadway users, especially for pedestrians. As speed has a direct influence on crash rates and severities, the revealed speed patterns of the different situations also benefit selection of safety countermeasures at signalized intersections. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  2. Experimental Research in Boost Driver with EDLCs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Matsumoto, Hirokazu

    The supply used in servo systems tends to have a high voltage in order to reduce loss and improve the response of motor drives. We propose a new boost motor driver that comprises EDLCs. The proposed driver has a simple structure, wherein the EDLCs are connected in series to the supply, and comprises a charge circuit to charge the EDLCs. The proposed driver has three advantages over conventional boost drivers. The first advantage is that the driver can easily attain the stable boost voltage. The second advantage is that the driver can reduce input power peaks. In a servo system, the input power peaks become greater than the rated power in order to accelerate the motor rapidly. This implies that the equipments that supply power to servo systems must have sufficient power capacity to satisfy the power peaks. The proposed driver can suppress the increase of the power capacity of supply facilities. The third advantage is that the driver can store almost all of the regenerative energy. Conventional drivers have a braking resistor to suppress the increase in the DC link voltage. This causes a considerable reduction in the efficiency. The proposed driver is more efficient than conventional drivers. In this study, the experimental results confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed driver and showed that the drive performance of the proposed driver is the same as that of a conventional driver. Furthermore, it was confirmed that the results of the simulation of a model of the EDLC module, whose capacitance is dependent on the frequency, correspond well with the experimental results.

  3. Online driver's license renewal.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2015-09-01

    The Kentucky Department of Vehicle Regulation is exploring the possibility of developing and implementing online : drivers license renewal. The objective of this project was to: 1) evaluate online drivers license and REAL ID renewal : programs ...

  4. Exploratory multinomial logit model-based driver injury severity analyses for teenage and adult drivers in intersection-related crashes.

    PubMed

    Wu, Qiong; Zhang, Guohui; Ci, Yusheng; Wu, Lina; Tarefder, Rafiqul A; Alcántara, Adélamar Dely

    2016-05-18

    Teenage drivers are more likely to be involved in severely incapacitating and fatal crashes compared to adult drivers. Moreover, because two thirds of urban vehicle miles traveled are on signal-controlled roadways, significant research efforts are needed to investigate intersection-related teenage driver injury severities and their contributing factors in terms of driver behavior, vehicle-infrastructure interactions, environmental characteristics, roadway geometric features, and traffic compositions. Therefore, this study aims to explore the characteristic differences between teenage and adult drivers in intersection-related crashes, identify the significant contributing attributes, and analyze their impacts on driver injury severities. Using crash data collected in New Mexico from 2010 to 2011, 2 multinomial logit regression models were developed to analyze injury severities for teenage and adult drivers, respectively. Elasticity analyses and transferability tests were conducted to better understand the quantitative impacts of these factors and the teenage driver injury severity model's generality. The results showed that although many of the same contributing factors were found to be significant in the both teenage and adult driver models, certain different attributes must be distinguished to specifically develop effective safety solutions for the 2 driver groups. The research findings are helpful to better understand teenage crash uniqueness and develop cost-effective solutions to reduce intersection-related teenage injury severities and facilitate driver injury mitigation research.

  5. The effect of the learner license Graduated Driver Licensing components on teen drivers' crashes.

    PubMed

    Ehsani, Johnathon Pouya; Bingham, C Raymond; Shope, Jean T

    2013-10-01

    Most studies evaluating the effectiveness of Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) have focused on the overall system. Studies examining individual components have rarely accounted for the confounding of multiple, simultaneously implemented components. The purpose of this paper is to quantify the effects of a required learner license duration and required hours of supervised driving on teen driver fatal crashes. States that introduced a single GDL component independent of any other during the period 1990-2009 were identified. Monthly and quarterly fatal crash rates per 100,000 population of 16- and 17-year-old drivers were analyzed using single-state time series analysis, adjusting for adult crash rates and gasoline prices. Using the parameter estimates from each state's time series model, the pooled effect of each GDL component on 16- and 17-year-old drivers' fatal crashes was estimated using a random effects meta-analytic model to combine findings across states. In three states, a six-month minimum learner license duration was associated with a significant decline in combined 16- and 17-year-old drivers' fatal crash rates. The pooled effect of the minimum learner license duration across all states in the sample was associated with a significant change in combined 16- and 17-year-old driver fatal crash rates of -.07 (95% Confidence Interval [CI] -.11, -.03). Following the introduction of 30 h of required supervised driving in one state, novice drivers' fatal crash rates increased 35%. The pooled effect across all states in the study sample of having a supervised driving hour requirement was not significantly different from zero (.04, 95% CI -.15, .22). These findings suggest that a learner license duration of at least six-months may be necessary to achieve a significant decline in teen drivers' fatal crash rates. Evidence of the effect of required hours of supervised driving on teen drivers' fatal crash rates was mixed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights

  6. Evaluating Older Drivers' Skills

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-05-01

    Research has demonstrated that older drivers pose a higher risk of involvement in fatal crashes at intersections than : younger drivers. Age-triggered restrictions are problematic as research shows that the majority of older people : have unimpaired ...

  7. Model driver screening and evaluation program. Volume 2, Maryland pilot older driver study

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2003-05-01

    This research project studied the feasibility as well as the scientific validity and utility of performing functional capacity screening with older drivers. A Model Program was described encompassing procedures to detect functionally impaired drivers...

  8. Drivers license display system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Prokoski, Francine J.

    1997-01-01

    Carjackings are only one of a growing class of law enforcement problems associated with increasingly violent crimes and accidents involving automobiles plays weapons, drugs and alcohol. Police traffic stops have become increasingly dangerous, with an officer having no information about a vehicle's potentially armed driver until approaching him. There are 15 million alcoholics in the US and 90 percent of them have drivers licenses. Many of them continue driving even after their licenses have ben revoked or suspended. There are thousands of unlicensed truck drivers in the country, and also thousands who routinely exceed safe operating periods without rest; often using drugs in an attempt to stay alert. MIKOS has developed the Drivers License Display Systems to reduce these and other related risks. Although every state requires the continuous display of vehicle registration information on every vehicle using public roads, no state yet requires the display of driver license information. The technology exists to provide that feature as an add-on to current vehicles for nominal cost. An initial voluntary market is expected to include: municipal, rental, and high value vehicles which are most likely to be mis-appropriated. It is anticipated that state regulations will eventually require such systems in the future, beginning with commercial vehicles, and then extending to high risk drivers and eventually all vehicles. The MIKOS system offers a dual-display approach which can be deployed now, and which will utilize all existing state licenses without requiring standardization.

  9. Mass drivers. 3: Engineering

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Arnold, W.; Bowen, S.; Cohen, S.; Fine, K.; Kaplan, D.; Kolm, M.; Kolm, H.; Newman, J.; Oneill, G. K.; Snow, W.

    1979-01-01

    The last of a series of three papers by the Mass-Driver Group of the 1977 Ames Summer Study is presented. It develops the engineering principles required to implement the basic mass-driver. Optimum component mass trade-offs are derived from a set of four input parameters, and the program used to design a lunar launcher. The mass optimization procedures is then incorporated into a more comprehensive mission optimization program called OPT-4, which evaluates an optimized mass-driver reaction engine and its performance in a range of specified missions. Finally, this paper discusses, to the extent that time permitted, certain peripheral problems: heating effects in buckets due to magnetic field ripple; an approximate derivation of guide force profiles; the mechanics of inserting and releasing payloads; the reaction mass orbits; and a proposed research and development plan for implementing mass drivers.

  10. The traffic safety effectiveness of education programs for first offense drunk drivers

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1982-06-01

    This document is the final report concerning the effectiveness of the CDUI Project's education programs for first DUI offenders. There is a complemental report on educational counseling program effectiveness for multiple offenders. First offense drun...

  11. Graduated driver licensing for reducing motor vehicle crashes among young drivers.

    PubMed

    Hartling, L; Wiebe, N; Russell, K; Petruk, J; Spinola, C; Klassen, T P

    2004-01-01

    Graduated driver licensing (GDL) has been proposed as a means of reducing crash rates among novice drivers by gradually introducing them to higher risk driving situations. To examine the effectiveness of GDL systems in reducing crash rates of young drivers. Studies were identified through searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Healthstar, Web of Science, NTIS Bibliographic Database, TRIS Online, SIGLE, the World Wide Web, relevant conference proceedings, consultation with experts and authors, and reference lists. The search was not restricted by language or publication status. Studies were included if: 1) they compared outcomes pre- and post-implementation of a GDL program within the same jurisdiction, 2) comparisons were made between jurisdictions with and without GDL, or 3) both. Studies had to report at least one objective, quantified outcome. Two reviewers independently screened searches and assessed the full text of potentially relevant studies for inclusion using a standard form. Data were extracted by one reviewer and checked by a second. Additional data were requested from authors. Results were not pooled due to substantial heterogeneity between studies. Percentage change was calculated for each year after the intervention, using one year prior to the intervention as the baseline rate. Results were adjusted by internal controls. Analyses were stratified by different denominators (population, licensed drivers). Results were calculated for the different crash types (overall, injury, fatal, night-time, alcohol, and those resulting in hospitalization). Results were presented for 16 year-olds alone and all teenage drivers combined. We included 13 studies evaluating 12 GDL programs that were implemented between 1979 and 1998 in the US (n=7), Canada (3), New Zealand (1), and Australia (1). Programs varied in their restrictions during the intermediate stage: e.g. night curfews (8); limitations of extra passengers (2); roadway restrictions (1). Based on the Insurance

  12. Transcending as a driver of development.

    PubMed

    Travis, Frederick

    2016-06-01

    This paper draws from three different bodies of research to discuss the hypothesis that age-appropriate experiences enhance brain and cognitive development throughout the life span. These age-appropriate experiences could be considered as the drivers of development at each age, including drivers to foster development beyond adult abstract thinking, as described in Piaget's formal operational stage. We explore how a nurturing caregiver is the driver in the first 2 years of life, how language learning is the driver from 3 to 10 years, and how problem solving is the driver in the teenage years. To develop beyond adult rational thinking, we suggest that the driver is transcending thought, which can result when practicing meditations in the automatic self-transcending category, such as Transcendental Meditation. © 2016 New York Academy of Sciences.

  13. Impact of graduated driver licensing restrictions on crashes involving young drivers in New Zealand

    PubMed Central

    Begg, D; Stephenson, S; Alsop, J; Langley, J

    2001-01-01

    Objective—To determine the impact on young driver crashes of the three main driving restrictions in the New Zealand graduated driver licensing (GDL) system: night-time curfew, no carrying of young passengers, and a blood alcohol limit of 30 mg/100 ml. Method—The database for this study was created by linking police crash reports to hospital inpatient records (1980–95). Multivariate logistic regression was used to compare car crashes involving a young driver licensed before GDL (n=2252) with those who held a restricted graduated licence (n=980) and with those who held a full graduated licence (n=1273), for each of the main driving restrictions. Results—Compared with the pre-GDL group, the restricted licence drivers had fewer crashes at night (p=0.003), fewer involving passengers of all ages (p=0.018), and fewer where alcohol was suspected (p=0.034), but not fewer involving young casualties (p=0.980). Compared with the pre-GDL drivers, those with the full graduated licence had fewer night crashes (p=0.042) but did not differ significantly for any of the other factors examined. Conclusion—These results suggest that some of the GDL restrictions, especially the night-time curfew, have contributed to a reduction in serious crashes involving young drivers. PMID:11770654

  14. Impact of graduated driver licensing restrictions on crashes involving young drivers in New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Begg, D J; Stephenson, S; Alsop, J; Langley, J

    2001-12-01

    To determine the impact on young driver crashes of the three main driving restrictions in the New Zealand graduated driver licensing (GDL) system: night-time curfew, no carrying of young passengers, and a blood alcohol limit of 30 mg/100 ml. The database for this study was created by linking police crash reports to hospital inpatient records (1980-95). Multivariate logistic regression was used to compare car crashes involving a young driver licensed before GDL (n=2,252) with those who held a restricted graduated licence (n=980) and with those who held a full graduated licence (n=1,273), for each of the main driving restrictions. Compared with the pre-GDL group, the restricted licence drivers had fewer crashes at night (p=0.003), fewer involving passengers of all ages (p=0.018), and fewer where alcohol was suspected (p=0.034), but not fewer involving young casualties (p=0.980). Compared with the pre-GDL drivers, those with the full graduated licence had fewer night crashes (p=0.042) but did not differ significantly for any of the other factors examined. These results suggest that some of the GDL restrictions, especially the night-time curfew, have contributed to a reduction in serious crashes involving young drivers.

  15. Legal aspects of administrating antipsychotic medications to jail and prison inmates.

    PubMed

    Dlugacz, Henry; Wimmer, Christopher

    2013-01-01

    The administration of antipsychotic medications to jail and prison inmates involves two related components: conducting the informed consent process in a coercive environment and, where consent is not obtained, forcible administration of medication if needed. In the United States, both involve common law, statutory, and constitutional principles. Obtaining informed consent in correctional institutions is complicated. Patients in correctional institutions lack access to alternate sources of information, and depend on the correctional system completely - a system which they may distrust. This may influence the patient's view of the administering physician. Where consent cannot be obtained, forcible administration may be legally permissible for two primary reasons: to restore a criminal defendant to competency in order to stand trial and to ameliorate severe symptoms of mental disability, particularly when they threaten the safety of self, others, or in some instances, property. The interests at stake for the individual and the government, and the legal standards developed to balance these interests, differ between the two situations. When considering challenges to forcible medication of inmates serving a prison sentence, the United States Supreme Court has treated the interest of the institution in maintaining security as paramount. By contrast, when considering challenges to forcible medication of pretrial detainees, the Court's concern for the fair trial rights guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment has seemingly led it to moderate its emphasis on security. However, this distinction is not stable and may in fact be breaking down, as the recent case of Jared Loughner demonstrates. This article discusses the various federal, state, and international legal standards applicable to both informed consent and forcible medication, and their implementation in the correctional setting, focusing on issues related to the United States. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights

  16. Externalities from Alcohol Consumption in the 2005 US National Alcohol Survey: Implications for Policy

    PubMed Central

    Greenfield, Thomas K.; Ye, Yu; Kerr, William; Bond, Jason; Rehm, Jürgen; Giesbrecht, Norman

    2009-01-01

    A subsample (n = 2,550) of the 2005 US National Alcohol Survey of adults was used to estimate prevalence and correlates of six externalities from alcohol abuse––family problems, assaults, accompanying intoxicated driver, vehicular accident, financial problems and vandalized property––all from another’s drinking. On a lifetime basis, 60% reported externalities, with a lower 12-month rate (9%). Women reported more family/marital and financial impacts and men more assaults, accompanying drunk drivers, and accidents. Being unmarried, older, white and ever having monthly heavy drinking or alcohol problems was associated with more alcohol externalities. Publicizing external costs of drinking could elevate political will for effective alcohol controls. PMID:20049257

  17. Getting drunk safely? Night-life policy in the UK and its public health consequences.

    PubMed

    Bellis, Mark A; Hughes, Karen

    2011-09-01

    Pubs, bars and nightclubs are central features of recreational night-life in the towns and cities of many countries. The last two decades have seen UK towns and cities regenerated through the provision of night-life environments aimed at servicing youth-focused monocultures typified by heavy drinking, loud music and dancing. Such changes in night-life settings have created major problems with management of alcohol-related violence. We examine what policies and interventions have been implemented to reduce violence in public night-life environments. We critically appraise the outcomes of such measures and whether they simply create environments in which it appears 'safe' for people to routinely get drunk while displacing violence and adding to health and social problems elsewhere. KEY FINDINGS/IMPLICATIONS: A variety of initiatives have been put in place to reduce violence and alcohol-related harm in night-time environments. These include changes to licensing laws, high profile policing, late night transport security, street lighting and closed circuit television camera networks. In some circumstances, the evidence for their effectiveness in containing night-life violence is relatively good. However, such approaches can also reduce incentives to stay sober, potentially act as a mechanism for displacing violence into surrounding areas, and divert public monies to city centre drinking environments at the expense of services in local communities. We argue that a public health approach to night-life is required which addresses drunkenness rather than pandering to the economic benefits of excessive alcohol use and managing any violence that is on public display. © 2011 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

  18. Drivers within natural drinking groups: an exploration of role selection, motivation, and group influence on driver sobriety.

    PubMed

    Lange, James E; Johnson, Mark B; Reed, Mark B

    2006-01-01

    Young people consume alcohol almost exclusively in social contexts, but natural drinking group dynamics are poorly understood. Our research focuses on the drivers' role within natural drinking groups. We conducted breath-test surveys of existing groups of young people at the US/Mexico border crossing before they headed to Tijuana bars, and surveyed them again upon their return. Results indicated an individual's perception of other group member's drinking plans predicts drinking intentions to a greater degree for passengers than drivers. Additionally, drivers who anticipated heavy drinking among other group members returned to the United States with BACs nearly identical to drivers who reported that other group members would not drink at all. This suggests drivers were resistant to normative pressures to drink. Evidence that group-dynamic variables may impact drinking behavior underscores the importance of systematic exploration of natural drinking groups. Furthermore, the knowledge gleaned from studying the dynamics and decision making processes of natural drinking groups could be used to design intervention designed to increase designated driver use and to reduce drinking among designated drivers.

  19. 49 CFR 383.23 - Commercial driver's license.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... STANDARDS; REQUIREMENTS AND PENALTIES Single License Requirement § 383.23 Commercial driver's license. (a... the single license provision of § 383.21, a driver holding a commercial driver's license issued under... be considered valid commercial drivers' licenses for purposes of behind-the-wheel training on public...

  20. Driver anger on the information superhighway: A content analysis of online complaints of offensive driver behaviour.

    PubMed

    Wickens, Christine M; Wiesenthal, David L; Hall, Ashley; Roseborough, James E W

    2013-03-01

    In recent years, several websites have been developed allowing drivers to post their complaints about other motorists online. These websites allow drivers to describe the nature of the offensive behaviour and to identify the offending motorist by vehicle type, colour, and license plate number. Some websites also ask drivers to list the location where the event took place and the exact date and time of the offence. The current study was a content analysis of complaints posted to RoadRagers.com between 1999 and 2007 (N=5624). The purpose of the study was to: (1) assess the research value of this novel data source; (2) demonstrate the value of content analysis to the study of driver behaviour; (3) further validate an existing coding scheme; (4) determine whether this new data source would replicate previous research findings regarding the most frequent types of driver complaints and temporal distribution of these reports; (5) provide recommendations for improved driver training and public safety initiatives based on these data. A coding scheme that was originally developed for an assessment of complaints submitted to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) (Wickens et al., 2005) was revised to accommodate the new dataset. The inter-rater reliability of the revised coding scheme as applied to the website complaints was very good (kappa=.85). The most frequently reported improper driver behaviours were cutting/weaving, speeding, perceived displays of hostility, and tailgating. Reports were most frequent on weekdays and during the morning and afternoon rush hour. The current study replicated several findings from the analysis of reports to the OPP, but possible differences in the sample and data collection method also produced some differences in findings. The value of content analysis to driver behaviour research and of driver complaint websites as a data source was demonstrated. Implications for driver safety initiatives and future research will be discussed. Copyright

  1. Psychological reactions of drivers to railway suicide.

    PubMed

    Tranah, T; Farmer, R D

    1994-02-01

    Around 90 London Underground train drivers experience a person jumping or falling in front of their train each year. The majority of these incidents are suicides or attempted suicides. 76 drivers were interviewed in order to assess the range of responses to these incidents. The following psychometric instruments were used: Present State Examination (PSE9); Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Interview; General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28); Impact of Events Scale (IES); Post-Traumatic Symptom Scale; Recent Difficulties/Events scale; Perceived Stress Scale and Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ). When interviewed 1 month after the incident 13 (17.11%) drivers presented with PTSD. Diagnoses other than PTSD e.g. neurotic depression and phobic state were present in 24 (31.58%) drivers (including 12 of the 13 PTSD cases who had one additional diagnosis). On the basis of diagnoses three groups were identified: Group 1 drivers had PTSD and in most cases an additional PSE9 diagnosis; Group 2 drivers had a PSE9 diagnosis only; Group 3 drivers were not cases. 56 drivers were again interviewed 6 months after the incident to assess duration of caseness and/or symptoms and to identify any cases of delayed onset. Two drivers were still cases at 6 months (neurotic depression and phobic state), no driver presented with PTSD at 6 months. At 6 months there was a significant drop in symptom scores compared with measures taken at 1 month. These results suggest that although approximately one-third of drivers suffered a severe psychological reaction following a railway suicide, when interviewed again 6 months after the incident most drivers reported a marked reduction in symptoms.

  2. Driver behaviour profiles for road safety analysis.

    PubMed

    Ellison, Adrian B; Greaves, Stephen P; Bliemer, Michiel C J

    2015-03-01

    Driver behaviour is a contributing factor in over 90 percent of road crashes. As a consequence, there is significant benefit in identifying drivers who engage in unsafe driving practices. Driver behaviour profiles (DBPs) are introduced here as an approach for evaluating driver behaviour as a function of the risk of a casualty crash. They employ data collected using global positioning system (GPS) devices, supplemented with spatiotemporal information. These profiles are comprised of common risk scores that can be used to compare drivers between each other and across time and space. The paper details the development of these DBPs and demonstrates their use as an input into modelling the factors that influence driver behaviour. The results show that even having controlled for the influence of the road environment, these factors remain the strongest predictors of driver behaviour suggesting different spatiotemporal environments elicit a variety of psychological responses in drivers. The approach and outcomes will be of interest to insurance companies in enhancing the risk-profiling of drivers with on-road driving and government through assessing the impacts of behaviour-change interventions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Vision-based method for detecting driver drowsiness and distraction in driver monitoring system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jo, Jaeik; Lee, Sung Joo; Jung, Ho Gi; Park, Kang Ryoung; Kim, Jaihie

    2011-12-01

    Most driver-monitoring systems have attempted to detect either driver drowsiness or distraction, although both factors should be considered for accident prevention. Therefore, we propose a new driver-monitoring method considering both factors. We make the following contributions. First, if the driver is looking ahead, drowsiness detection is performed; otherwise, distraction detection is performed. Thus, the computational cost and eye-detection error can be reduced. Second, we propose a new eye-detection algorithm that combines adaptive boosting, adaptive template matching, and blob detection with eye validation, thereby reducing the eye-detection error and processing time significantly, which is hardly achievable using a single method. Third, to enhance eye-detection accuracy, eye validation is applied after initial eye detection, using a support vector machine based on appearance features obtained by principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA). Fourth, we propose a novel eye state-detection algorithm that combines appearance features obtained using PCA and LDA, with statistical features such as the sparseness and kurtosis of the histogram from the horizontal edge image of the eye. Experimental results showed that the detection accuracies of the eye region and eye states were 99 and 97%, respectively. Both driver drowsiness and distraction were detected with a success rate of 98%.

  4. Characteristics of Two Groups of Angry Drivers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Deffenbacher, Jerry L.; Filetti, Linda B.; Richards, Tracy L.; Lynch, Rebekah S.; Oetting, Eugene R.

    2003-01-01

    High anger drivers acknowledging problems with driving anger and interest in counseling (high anger/problem [HP] drivers) were compared with high and low anger drivers not acknowledging problems with driving anger and seeking counseling (high and low/nonproblem [HNP and LNP, respectively] drivers). High anger groups reported more anger while…

  5. Data and methods for studying commercial motor vehicle driver fatigue, highway safety and long-term driver health.

    PubMed

    Stern, Hal S; Blower, Daniel; Cohen, Michael L; Czeisler, Charles A; Dinges, David F; Greenhouse, Joel B; Guo, Feng; Hanowski, Richard J; Hartenbaum, Natalie P; Krueger, Gerald P; Mallis, Melissa M; Pain, Richard F; Rizzo, Matthew; Sinha, Esha; Small, Dylan S; Stuart, Elizabeth A; Wegman, David H

    2018-03-09

    This article summarizes the recommendations on data and methodology issues for studying commercial motor vehicle driver fatigue of a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine study. A framework is provided that identifies the various factors affecting driver fatigue and relating driver fatigue to crash risk and long-term driver health. The relevant factors include characteristics of the driver, vehicle, carrier and environment. Limitations of existing data are considered and potential sources of additional data described. Statistical methods that can be used to improve understanding of the relevant relationships from observational data are also described. The recommendations for enhanced data collection and the use of modern statistical methods for causal inference have the potential to enhance our understanding of the relationship of fatigue to highway safety and to long-term driver health. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  6. COMPARING THE IMPAIRMENT PROFILES OF OLDER DRIVERS AND NON-DRIVERS: TOWARD THE DEVELOPMENT OF A FITNESS-TO-DRIVE MODEL

    PubMed Central

    Antin, Jonathan F.; Stanley, Laura M.; Guo, Feng

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this research effort was to compare older driver and non-driver functional impairment profiles across some 60 assessment metrics in an initial effort to contribute to the development of fitness-to-drive assessment models. Of the metrics evaluated, 21 showed statistically significant differences, almost all favoring the drivers. Also, it was shown that a logistic regression model comprised of five of the assessment scores could completely and accurately separate the two groups. The results of this study imply that older drivers are far less functionally impaired than non-drivers of similar ages, and that a parsimonious model can accurately assign individuals to either group. With such models, any driver classified or diagnosed as a non-driver would be a strong candidate for further investigation and intervention. PMID:22058607

  7. Motor vehicle driver injury and marital status: a cohort study with prospective and retrospective driver injuries

    PubMed Central

    Whitlock, G; Norton, R; Clark, T; Jackson, R; MacMahon, S

    2004-01-01

    Objective: To investigate the association of marital status with risk of motor vehicle driver injury. Design: A cohort study with prospective and retrospective outcomes. Setting: New Zealand. Participants: A total of 10 525 adults (a volunteer sample of a multi-industry workforce, n = 8008; and a random sample of urban electoral rolls, n = 2517). Exposure variable: Self reported marital status, assessed from a questionnaire administered in 1992–93 (baseline). Main outcome measure: Motor vehicle driver injury resulting in admission of the driver to hospital and/or the driver's death, during the period 1988–98; hospitalisation and mortality data were obtained by record linkage to national health databases. Results: During 108 741 person-years of follow up, 139 driver injury cases occurred (85 before baseline, 54 after). After adjustment for age, sex, and study cohort, never married participants had twice the risk of driver injury (hazard ratio [HR] 2.06, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.35 to 3.16) as married participants (HR 1.00). The relative risk for never married participants was slightly higher (HR 2.29), though less precise (95% CI 1.39 to 3.76), after further adjustment for alcohol intake, driving exposure, area of residence, body mass index, and occupational status. Conclusions: After taking age, sex, and other variables into account, never married people had a substantially higher risk of driver injury than married people. While requiring corroboration, these findings imply that it may be appropriate for driver injury countermeasures to be targeted to never married people. PMID:14760024

  8. Driver sleepiness on YouTube: A content analysis.

    PubMed

    Hawkins, A N; Filtness, A J

    2017-02-01

    Driver sleepiness is a major contributor to severe crashes and fatalities on our roads. Many people continue to drive despite being aware of feeling tired. Prevention relies heavily on education campaigns as it is difficult to police driver sleepiness. The video sharing social media site YouTube is extremely popular, particularly with at risk driver demographics. Content and popularity of uploaded videos can provide insight into the quality of publicly accessible driver sleepiness information. The purpose of this research was to answer two questions; firstly, how prevalent are driver sleepiness videos on YouTube? And secondly, what are the general characteristics of driver sleepiness videos in terms of (a) outlook on driver sleepiness, (b) tone, (c) countermeasures to driver sleepiness, and, (d) driver demographics. Using a keywords search, 442 relevant videos were found from a five year period (2nd December 2009-2nd December 2014). Tone, outlook, and countermeasure use were thematically coded. Driver demographic and video popularity data also were recorded. The majority of videos portrayed driver sleepiness as dangerous. However, videos that had an outlook towards driver sleepiness being amusing were viewed more often and had more mean per video comments and likes. Humorous videos regardless of outlook, were most popular. Most information regarding countermeasures to deal with driver sleepiness was accurate. Worryingly, 39.8% of videos with countermeasure information contained some kind of ineffective countermeasure. The use of humour to convey messages about the dangers of driver sleepiness may be a useful approach in educational interventions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Fusion of Optimized Indicators from Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) for Driver Drowsiness Detection

    PubMed Central

    Daza, Iván G.; Bergasa, Luis M.; Bronte, Sebastián; Yebes, J. Javier; Almazán, Javier; Arroyo, Roberto

    2014-01-01

    This paper presents a non-intrusive approach for monitoring driver drowsiness using the fusion of several optimized indicators based on driver physical and driving performance measures, obtained from ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistant Systems) in simulated conditions. The paper is focused on real-time drowsiness detection technology rather than on long-term sleep/awake regulation prediction technology. We have developed our own vision system in order to obtain robust and optimized driver indicators able to be used in simulators and future real environments. These indicators are principally based on driver physical and driving performance skills. The fusion of several indicators, proposed in the literature, is evaluated using a neural network and a stochastic optimization method to obtain the best combination. We propose a new method for ground-truth generation based on a supervised Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS). An extensive evaluation of indicators, derived from trials over a third generation simulator with several test subjects during different driving sessions, was performed. The main conclusions about the performance of single indicators and the best combinations of them are included, as well as the future works derived from this study. PMID:24412904

  10. Traffic safety facts 1999 : young drivers

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2000-01-01

    There were 187.2 million licensed drivers in the United States in 1999. Young drivers, between 15 and 20 years old, accounted for 6.8% (12.7 million) of the total, a 1.2% decrease from the 12.8 million young drivers in 1989. In 1999, 8,175 15- to 20-...

  11. Advanced driver assistance systems for teen drivers: Teen and parent impressions, perceived need, and intervention preferences.

    PubMed

    Weiss, Eve; Fisher Thiel, Megan; Sultana, Nahida; Hannan, Chloe; Seacrist, Thomas

    2018-02-28

    From the advent of airbags to electronic stability control, technological advances introduced into automobile design have significantly reduced injury and death from motor vehicle crashes. These advances are especially pertinent among teen drivers, a population whose leading cause of death is motor vehicle crashes. Recently developed advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) have the potential to compensate for skill deficits and reduce overall crash risk. Yet, ADAS is only effective if drivers are willing to use it. Limited research has been conducted on the suitability of ADAS for teen drivers. The goal of this study is to identify teen drivers' perceived need for ADAS, receptiveness to in-vehicle technology, and intervention preferences. The long-term goal is to understand public perceptions and barriers to ADAS use and to help determine how these systems must evolve to meet the needs of the riskiest driving populations. Three focus groups (N = 24) were conducted with licensed teen drivers aged 16-19 years and 2 focus groups with parents of teen drivers (N = 12). Discussion topics included views on how ADAS might influence driving skills and behaviors; trust in technology; and data privacy. Discussions were transcribed; the team used conventional content analysis and open coding methods to identify 12 coding domains and code transcripts with NVivo 10. Interrater reliability testing showed moderate to high kappa scores. Overall, participants recognized potential benefits of ADAS, including improved safety and crash reduction. Teens suggested that ADAS is still developing and therefore has potential to malfunction. Many teens reported a greater trust in their own driving ability over vehicle technology. They expressed that novice drivers should learn to drive on non-ADAS-equipped cars and that ADAS should be considered a supplemental aid. Many teens felt that overreliance on ADAS may increase distracted driving or risky behaviors among teens. Parents also

  12. Child Passenger Deaths Involving Alcohol-Impaired Drivers

    PubMed Central

    Quinlan, Kyran; Shults, Ruth A.; Rudd, Rose A.

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Approximately 1 in 5 child passenger deaths in the United States involves an alcohol-impaired driver, most commonly the child’s own driver. The objective of this study was to document recent trends and state-specific rates of these deaths. METHODS A descriptive analysis of 2001–2010 Fatality Analysis Reporting System data for child passengers aged <15 years killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes. Driver impairment was defined as a blood alcohol concentration of ≥0.08 g/dL. RESULTS During 2001–2010, 2344 children <15 years were killed in crashes involving at least 1 alcohol-impaired driver. Of these children, 1515 (65%) were riding with an impaired driver. Annual deaths among children riding with an alcohol-impaired driver decreased by 41% over the decade. Among the 37 states included in the state-level analysis, Texas (272) and California (135) had the most children killed while riding with an impaired driver and South Dakota (0.98) and New Mexico (0.86) had the highest annualized child passenger death rates (per 100 000 children). Most (61%) child passengers of impaired drivers were unrestrained at the time of the crash. One-third of the impaired drivers did not have a valid driver’s license. CONCLUSIONS Alcohol-impaired driving remains a substantial threat to the safety of child passengers in the United States, and typically involves children being driven by impaired drivers. This risk varies meaningfully among states. To make further progress, states and communities could consider increased use of effective interventions and efforts aimed specifically at protecting child passengers from impaired drivers. PMID:24799550

  13. Profiles in driver distraction : effects of cell phone conversations on younger and older drivers

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2004-01-01

    Synopsis Younger and older drivers conversing on a hands-free cell phone were found to have slower responses to random braking by the vehicle ahead. Cell phone use slowed the younger drivers responses to an extent that they were equivalent t...

  14. Children in fatal crashes: driver blood alcohol concentration and demographics of child passengers and their drivers.

    PubMed

    Voas, Robert B; Fisher, Deborah A; Tippetts, A Scott

    2002-11-01

    This study examines whether differences in two risk factors for crash-related injury for children-riding with a drinking driver and failure to use restraints-are related to various driver characteristics such as age, gender, ethnicity and drinking. Data on driver blood alcohol concentration (BAC), use of restraints and certain demographics were drawn from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System. Ethnicity data came from the Multiple Cause of Death File and socioeconomic information from the US Census. The use of restraints by child passengers and the drinking of alcohol by adult drivers are examined as a function of age, gender and membership of five racial/ethnic groups: White American, Black American, Native American, Asian/Pacific Islander American and Hispanic American. This study covers 160,770 drivers and 12,266 children younger than 16 years killed in motor vehicle crashes from January 1,1990 to December 31,1996. As might be expected, analyses of fatally injured drivers showed that, compared with men, women were more likely to be accompanied by children at the time of their crash, but those children were more likely to be restrained than if travelling with men. Drivers who had been drinking at the time of their crash were less likely to be transporting children and those children were less likely to be restrained. Analyses of killed children indicated that some ethnic groups, compared with White drivers, were more likely to be BAC-positive and children were less likely to be restrained. These findings underscore the continuing need to understand cultural factors in traffic safety and develop and disseminate culturally appropriate education programs.

  15. [Prevalence of mental disorder and related treatments in a local jail: a 20-month consecutive case study].

    PubMed

    Carrà, Giuseppe; Giacobone, Caterina; Pozzi, Florinda; Alecci, Pasquale; Barale, Francesco

    2004-01-01

    To define the prevalence of mental disorder within an Italian local jail and to describe main psychiatric treatments provided. Cross-sectional study of consecutive male prisoners referred, over a twenty-month period, for a clinical psychiatric assessment, among population (N = 990) of Casa circondariale "Torre del Gallo", Pavia (I); clinical DSM-IV diagnostic assessment and retrospective analysis of provided psychiatric treatments (i.e. psychiatric visits and pharmacological prescriptions). 191 men (19.3%) had one or more current mental disorders (excluding substance misuse), including 13 (1.3%) psychosis; 53 (5.4%) mood disorder; 24 (2.4%) anxiety disorder; 26 (2.6%) adjustment disorder; 40 (4.1%) personality disorder; 32 (3.2%) personality disorder plus mood disorder; 3 (0.3%) mental retardation. Substance- (N = 89, 47%) and HIV-related (N = 19, 10%) disorders comorbidity is recognised. Psychiatric visits are mainly provided to psychosis and personality disorder plus mood disorder subgroups. Off-label antipsychotics prescriptions are frequent. The prevalence of mental disorder in this population is higher than US and EU averages, and for particular diagnostic subgroups it could be underestimated. Psychiatric management in prison should be reorganized according to national and European health guidelines.

  16. Violence and the perceived risks of taking antiretroviral therapy in US jails and prisons.

    PubMed

    Culbert, Gabriel J

    2014-01-01

    About one in five men living with HIV in the USA passes through a correctional center annually. Jails and prisons are seen therefore as key intervention sites to promote HIV treatment as prevention. Almost no research, however, has examined inmates' perspectives on HIV treatment or their strategies for retaining access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) during incarceration. The purpose of this paper is to describe the results of an exploratory study examining men's perceptions of and experiences with HIV care and ART during incarceration. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 42 HIV positive male and male-to-female transgendered persons recently released from male correctional centers in Illinois, USA. Interpersonal violence, a lack of safety, and perceived threats to privacy were frequently cited barriers to one's willingness and ability to access and adhere to treatment. Over 60 percent of study participants reported missed doses or sustained treatment interruption (greater than two weeks) because of failure to disclose their HIV status, delayed prescribing, intermittent dosing and out-of-stock medications, confiscation of medications, and medication strikes. Substantial improvements in ART access and adherence are likely to follow organizational changes that make incarcerated men feel safer, facilitate HIV status disclosure, and better protect the confidentiality of inmates receiving ART. This study identified novel causes of ART non-adherence among prisoners and provides first-hand information about how violence, stigma, and the pursuit of social support influence prisoner's decisions to disclose their HIV status or accept ART during incarceration.

  17. An Evaluation of Graduated Driver Licensing Effects on Fatal Crash Involvements of Young Drivers in the United States

    PubMed Central

    Fell, James C.; Jones, Kristina; Romano, Eduardo; Voas, Robert

    2013-01-01

    Objective Graduated driver licensing (GDL) systems are designed to reduce the high crash risk of young novice drivers. Almost all states in the United States have some form of a three-phased GDL system with various restrictions in the intermediate phase. Studies of the effects of GDL in various states show significant reductions in fatal crash involvements of 16- and 17-year-old drivers; however, only a few national studies of GDL effects have been published. The objective of this national panel study was to evaluate the effect of GDL laws on the fatal crash involvements of novice drivers while controlling for possible confounding factors not accounted for in prior studies. Methods The Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) was used to examine 16- and 17-year-old driver involvement in fatal crashes (where GDL laws are applied) relative to two young driver age groups (19-20, 21-25) where GDL would not be expected to have an effect. Dates when various GDL laws were adopted in the states between 1990 and 2007 were coded from a variety of sources. Covariates in the longitudinal panel regression analyses conducted included four laws that could have an effect on 16- and 17-year-old drivers: primary enforcement seat belt laws, zero-tolerance (ZT) alcohol laws for drivers younger than age 21, lowering the blood alcohol concentration limit for driving to .08, and so-called “use and lose” laws where drivers aged 20 and younger lose their licenses for underage drinking violations. Results The adoption of a GDL law of average strength was associated with a significant decrease in fatal crash involvements of 16- and 17-year-old drivers relative to fatal crash involvements of one of the two comparison groups. GDL laws rated as “good” showed stronger relationships to fatal crash reductions, and laws rated as “less than good” showed no reductions in crash involvements relative to the older driver comparison groups. Conclusions States that adopt a basic GDL law can

  18. School Bus Accidents and Driver Age.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McMichael, Judith

    The study examines the rates and types of school bus accidents according to the age of the school bus driver. Accident rates in North Carolina for the school year 1971-72 were analyzed using three sources of data: accident reports, driver and mileage data, and questionnaires administered to a sample of school bus drivers. Data were obtained on…

  19. Analysis of risk factors affecting driver injury and crash injury with drivers under the influence of alcohol (DUI) and non-DUI.

    PubMed

    Chen, Huiqin; Chen, Qiang; Chen, Lei; Zhang, Guanjun

    2016-11-16

    The objective of this research was to study risk factors that significantly influence the severity of crashes for drivers both under and not under the influence of alcohol. Ordinal logistic regression was applied to analyze a crash data set involving drivers under and not under the influence of alcohol in China from January 2011 to December 2014. Four risk factors were found to be significantly associated with the severity of driver injury, including crash partner and intersection type. Age group was found to be significantly associated with the severity of crashes involving drivers under the influence of alcohol. Crash partner, intersection type, lighting conditions, gender, and time of day were found to be significantly associated with severe driver injuries, the last of which was also significantly associated with severe crashes involving drivers not under the influence of alcohol. This study found that pedestrian involvement decreases the odds of severe driver injury when a driver is under the influence of alcohol, with a relative risk of 0.05 compared to the vehicle-to-vehicle group. The odds of severe driver injury at T-intersections were higher than those for traveling along straight roads. Age was shown to be an important factor, with drivers 50-60 years of age having higher odds of being involved in severe crashes compared to 20- to 30-year-olds when the driver was under the influence of alcohol. When the driver was not under the influence of alcohol, drivers suffered more severe injuries between midnight and early morning compared to early nighttime. The vehicle-to-motorcycle and vehicle-to-pedestrian groups experienced less severe driver injuries, and vehicle collisions with fixed objects exhibited higher odds of severe driver injury than did vehicle-to-vehicle impacts. The odds of severe driver injury at cross intersections were 0.29 compared to travel along straight roads. The odds of severe driver injury when street lighting was not available at

  20. Presence of psychoactive substances in injured Belgian drivers.

    PubMed

    Legrand, Sara-Ann; Silverans, Peter; de Paepe, Peter; Buylaert, Walter; Verstraete, Alain G

    2013-01-01

    To estimate the percentage of drivers involved in a traffic crash in Belgium who have alcohol and drugs in their blood. Blood samples of the drivers injured in a traffic crash and admitted to the emergency departments of 5 hospitals in Belgium between January 2008 and May 2010 were analyzed for ethanol (with an enzymatic method) and 22 other psychoactive substances (with ultra-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry or gas chromatography-mass spectrometry). One thousand seventy-eight drivers were included in the study. Alcohol (≥0.1 g/L) was the most common substance (26.2%). A large majority of the drivers (64%) who were positive for alcohol had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) ≥1.3 g/L (legal limit in Belgium: 0.5 g/L). These high BACs were most frequent among male injured drivers. Cannabis was the most prevalent illicit drug (5.3%) and benzodiazepines (5.3%) were the most prevalent medicinal drugs. Approximately 1 percent of the drivers were positive for cocaine and amphetamines. No drivers tested positive for illicit opioids. Medicinal drugs were more likely to be found among female drivers and drivers older than 35 years, and alcohol and illicit drugs were more likely to be found among male drivers and drivers younger than 35 years. A high percentage of the injured drivers were positive for a psychoactive substance at the time of injury. Alcohol was the most common substance, with 80 percent of the positive drivers having a BAC ≥0.5 g/L. Compared to a roadside survey in the same area, drivers/riders with high BACs and combinations of drugs were overrepresented. Efforts should be made to increase alcohol and drug enforcement. The introduction of a categorization and labeling system might reduce driving under the influence of medicinal drugs by informing health care professionals and patients.

  1. [Artefacts of questionnaire-based psychological testing of drivers].

    PubMed

    Łuczak, Anna; Tarnowski, Adam

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to draw attention to a significant role of social approval variable in the qustionnaire-based diagnosis of drivers' psychological aptitude. Three questionnaires were used: Formal Characteristics of Behavior - Temperament Inventory (FCB-TI), Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ-R(S) and Impulsiveness Questionnaire (Impulsiveness, Venturesomeness, Empathy - IVE). Three groups of drivers were analyzed: professional "without crashes" (N = 46), nonprofessional "without crashes" (N = 75), and nonprofessional "with crashes" (N = 75). Nonprofessional drivers "without crashes" significantly stood up against other drivers. Their personality profile, indicating a significantly utmost perseveration, emotional reactivity, neuroticism, impulsiveness and the lowest endurance did not fit in to the requirements to be met by drivers. The driver safety profile was characteristic of professional drivers (the lowest level of perseveration, impulsiveness and neuroticism and the highest level of endurance). Similar profile occurred among nonprofessional drivers--the offenders of road crashes. Compared to the nonprofessional "without crashes" group, professional drivers and offenders of road crashes were also characterized by a significantly higher score on the Lie scale, determining the need for social approval. This is likely to result from the study procedure according to which the result of professional drivers testing had an impact on a possible continuity of their job and that of nonprofessional drivers "with crashes" decided about possible recovery of the driving license. The variable of social approval can be a significant artifact in the study of psychological drivers' testing and reduce the reliability of the results of questionnaire methods.

  2. 78 FR 76757 - Regulatory Guidance on Hours of Service of Drivers Rest Break Requirement; Drivers Who Become...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-12-19

    ... days as ``short haul'' drivers exempt from the break rule, but who occasionally exceed the short haul distance or time limits. Such drivers are then subject to the break requirement and must prepare a record-of-duty-status (RODS) for the day. The intent of the break rule would be satisfied if drivers in...

  3. Driver-centred vehicle automation: using network analysis for agent-based modelling of the driver in highly automated driving systems.

    PubMed

    Banks, Victoria A; Stanton, Neville A

    2016-11-01

    To the average driver, the concept of automation in driving infers that they can become completely 'hands and feet free'. This is a common misconception, however, one that has been shown through the application of Network Analysis to new Cruise Assist technologies that may feature on our roads by 2020. Through the adoption of a Systems Theoretic approach, this paper introduces the concept of driver-initiated automation which reflects the role of the driver in highly automated driving systems. Using a combination of traditional task analysis and the application of quantitative network metrics, this agent-based modelling paper shows how the role of the driver remains an integral part of the driving system implicating the need for designers to ensure they are provided with the tools necessary to remain actively in-the-loop despite giving increasing opportunities to delegate their control to the automated subsystems. Practitioner Summary: This paper describes and analyses a driver-initiated command and control system of automation using representations afforded by task and social networks to understand how drivers remain actively involved in the task. A network analysis of different driver commands suggests that such a strategy does maintain the driver in the control loop.

  4. Bus driver fatigue and stress issues study

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2001-02-01

    Fatigue-related issues associated with motorcoach drivers differ from the issues faced by truck drivers because of the distinct nature of their jobs. For example, truck and motorcoach drivers deal with different vehicular operating characteristics, n...

  5. Association between New Jersey's Graduated Driver Licensing decal provision and crash rates of young drivers with learners' permits.

    PubMed

    Curry, Allison E; Pfeiffer, Melissa R; Elliott, Michael R; Durbin, Dennis R

    2015-12-01

    New Jersey (NJ) implemented the first-in-the-US Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) decal provision in May 2010 for young drivers with learner's permits or intermediate licenses. Previous analyses found an association between the provision and crash reduction among intermediate drivers. The aim of this study is to examine the association between NJ's provision and GDL citation and crash rates among drivers aged <21 years with learner's permits. We estimated monthly per-driver rates from January 2006 through June 2012. Negative binomial modeling compared pre and post decal crash rates adjusted for gender, age, calendar month, and gas price. The monthly GDL citation rate was two per 10,000 drivers in the predecal and postdecal periods. Crashes were rare and rates declined similarly pre and post decal (adjusted rate ratio of postdecal vs predecal slope: 1.04 (0.97 to 1.12)). NJ's GDL decal provision was not associated with a change in citation or crash rates among young NJ drivers with learner's permits. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  6. Research on driver fatigue detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Ting; Chen, Zhong; Ouyang, Chao

    2018-03-01

    Driver fatigue is one of the main causes of frequent traffic accidents. In this case, driver fatigue detection system has very important significance in avoiding traffic accidents. This paper presents a real-time method based on fusion of multiple facial features, including eye closure, yawn and head movement. The eye state is classified as being open or closed by a linear SVM classifier trained using HOG features of the detected eye. The mouth state is determined according to the width-height ratio of the mouth. The head movement is detected by head pitch angle calculated by facial landmark. The driver's fatigue state can be reasoned by the model trained by above features. According to experimental results, drive fatigue detection obtains an excellent performance. It indicates that the developed method is valuable for the application of avoiding traffic accidents caused by driver's fatigue.

  7. Effect of freeway level of service and driver education on truck driver stress : phase 1.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-08-01

    This research primarily deals with truck driver stress and its nature, stressors, and their mutual relationship. During the : study, the different demands of driving that are related to roads, vehicle, traffic conditions, driver predisposition to : s...

  8. A Simple Wave Driver

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Temiz, Burak Kagan; Yavuz, Ahmet

    2015-01-01

    This study was done to develop a simple and inexpensive wave driver that can be used in experiments on string waves. The wave driver was made using a battery-operated toy car, and the apparatus can be used to produce string waves at a fixed frequency. The working principle of the apparatus is as follows: shortly after the car is turned on, the…

  9. Reliability of drivers in urban intersections.

    PubMed

    Gstalter, Herbert; Fastenmeier, Wolfgang

    2010-01-01

    The concept of human reliability has been widely used in industrial settings by human factors experts to optimise the person-task fit. Reliability is estimated by the probability that a task will successfully be completed by personnel in a given stage of system operation. Human Reliability Analysis (HRA) is a technique used to calculate human error probabilities as the ratio of errors committed to the number of opportunities for that error. To transfer this notion to the measurement of car driver reliability the following components are necessary: a taxonomy of driving tasks, a definition of correct behaviour in each of these tasks, a list of errors as deviations from the correct actions and an adequate observation method to register errors and opportunities for these errors. Use of the SAFE-task analysis procedure recently made it possible to derive driver errors directly from the normative analysis of behavioural requirements. Driver reliability estimates could be used to compare groups of tasks (e.g. different types of intersections with their respective regulations) as well as groups of drivers' or individual drivers' aptitudes. This approach was tested in a field study with 62 drivers of different age groups. The subjects drove an instrumented car and had to complete an urban test route, the main features of which were 18 intersections representing six different driving tasks. The subjects were accompanied by two trained observers who recorded driver errors using standardized observation sheets. Results indicate that error indices often vary between both the age group of drivers and the type of driving task. The highest error indices occurred in the non-signalised intersection tasks and the roundabout, which exactly equals the corresponding ratings of task complexity from the SAFE analysis. A comparison of age groups clearly shows the disadvantage of older drivers, whose error indices in nearly all tasks are significantly higher than those of the other groups

  10. The Safety Performance of Passenger Carrier Drivers

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-12-01

    This paper examines the safety performance of passenger carrier drivers. Special emphasis is given to the motorcoach segment. A model that investigates the contribution of driver factors on the number of State-reportable crashes in which the driver w...

  11. Motorcoach Driver Fatigue Study, 2011

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-12-01

    Eighty-four commercial motorcoach drivers participated in a month-long study of duty start time, total duty time, total sleep time per 24 hours, with sleepiness, fatigue, and performance measured as they were going on and off duty. Drivers worked the...

  12. Mature Drivers: Traffic Safety Tips

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1996-01-01

    This fact sheet, NHTSA Facts: Summer 1996, discusses safety tips for drivers aged 70 and older. It notes that mature drivers: rank lower in aggressive actions; tend to make necessary safety adjustments in their driving, based on their own experience;...

  13. 20 CFR 404.1008 - Agent-driver or commission-driver, full-time life insurance salesman, home worker, or traveling...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... commission-driver, full-time life insurance salesman, home worker, or traveling or city salesman. (a) General... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Agent-driver or commission-driver, full-time life insurance salesman, home worker, or traveling or city salesman. 404.1008 Section 404.1008...

  14. 20 CFR 404.1008 - Agent-driver or commission-driver, full-time life insurance salesman, home worker, or traveling...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... commission-driver, full-time life insurance salesman, home worker, or traveling or city salesman. (a) General... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Agent-driver or commission-driver, full-time life insurance salesman, home worker, or traveling or city salesman. 404.1008 Section 404.1008...

  15. 20 CFR 404.1008 - Agent-driver or commission-driver, full-time life insurance salesman, home worker, or traveling...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... commission-driver, full-time life insurance salesman, home worker, or traveling or city salesman. (a) General... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Agent-driver or commission-driver, full-time life insurance salesman, home worker, or traveling or city salesman. 404.1008 Section 404.1008...

  16. 20 CFR 404.1008 - Agent-driver or commission-driver, full-time life insurance salesman, home worker, or traveling...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... commission-driver, full-time life insurance salesman, home worker, or traveling or city salesman. (a) General... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Agent-driver or commission-driver, full-time life insurance salesman, home worker, or traveling or city salesman. 404.1008 Section 404.1008...

  17. 20 CFR 404.1008 - Agent-driver or commission-driver, full-time life insurance salesman, home worker, or traveling...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... commission-driver, full-time life insurance salesman, home worker, or traveling or city salesman. (a) General... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Agent-driver or commission-driver, full-time life insurance salesman, home worker, or traveling or city salesman. 404.1008 Section 404.1008...

  18. Naturalistic distraction and driving safety in older drivers

    PubMed Central

    Aksan, Nazan; Dawson, Jeffrey D.; Emerson, Jamie L.; Yu, Lixi; Uc, Ergun Y.; Anderson, Steven W.; Rizzo, Matthew

    2013-01-01

    Objective This study aimed to quantify and compare performance of middle-aged and older drivers during a naturalistic distraction paradigm (visual search for roadside targets) and predict older driver performance given functioning in visual, motor, and cognitive domains. Background Distracted driving can imperil healthy adults and may disproportionally affect the safety of older drivers with visual, motor, and cognitive decline. Methods Two hundred and three drivers, 120 healthy older (61 men and 59 women, ages 65 years or greater) and 83 middle-aged drivers (38 men and 45 women, ages 40–64 years), participated in an on-road test in an instrumented vehicle. Outcome measures included performance in roadside target identification (traffic signs and restaurants) and concurrent driver safety. Differences in visual, motor, and cognitive functioning served as predictors. Results Older drivers identified fewer landmarks and drove slower but committed more safety errors than middle-aged drivers. Greater familiarity with local roads benefited performance of middle-aged but not older drivers. Visual cognition predicted both traffic sign identification and safety errors while executive function predicted traffic sign identification over and above vision. Conclusion Older adults are susceptible to driving safety errors while distracted by common secondary visual search tasks that are inherent to driving. The findings underscore that age-related cognitive decline affects older driver management of driving tasks at multiple levels, and can help inform the design of on-road tests and interventions for older drivers. PMID:23964422

  19. Naturalistic distraction and driving safety in older drivers.

    PubMed

    Aksan, Nazan; Dawson, Jeffrey D; Emerson, Jamie L; Yu, Lixi; Uc, Ergun Y; Anderson, Steven W; Rizzo, Matthew

    2013-08-01

    In this study, we aimed to quantify and compare performance of middle-aged and older drivers during a naturalistic distraction paradigm (visual search for roadside targets) and to predict older drivers performance given functioning in visual, motor, and cognitive domains. Distracted driving can imperil healthy adults and may disproportionally affect the safety of older drivers with visual, motor, and cognitive decline. A total of 203 drivers, 120 healthy older (61 men and 59 women, ages 65 years and older) and 83 middle-aged drivers (38 men and 45 women, ages 40 to 64 years), participated in an on-road test in an instrumented vehicle. Outcome measures included performance in roadside target identification (traffic signs and restaurants) and concurrent driver safety. Differences in visual, motor, and cognitive functioning served as predictors. Older drivers identified fewer landmarks and drove slower but committed more safety errors than did middle-aged drivers. Greater familiarity with local roads benefited performance of middle-aged but not older drivers.Visual cognition predicted both traffic sign identification and safety errors, and executive function predicted traffic sign identification over and above vision. Older adults are susceptible to driving safety errors while distracted by common secondary visual search tasks that are inherent to driving. The findings underscore that age-related cognitive decline affects older drivers' management of driving tasks at multiple levels and can help inform the design of on-road tests and interventions for older drivers.

  20. [Occupational stress situation analysis of different types of train drivers].

    PubMed

    Zhou, Wenhui; Gu, Guizhen; Wu, Hui; Yu, Shanfa

    2014-11-01

    To analyze the status of occupational stress in different types of train drivers. By using cluster sampling method, a cross-sectional study was conducted in 1 339 train drivers (including 289 passenger train drivers, 637 freight trains drivers, 339 passenger shunting train drivers, and 74 high speed rail drivers) from a Railway Bureau depot. The survey included individual factors, occupational stress factors, stress response factors and stress mitigating factors. The occupational stress factors, stress response factors and mitigating factors were measured by the revised effort-reward imbalance (ERI) model questionnaires and occupational stress measurement scale. By using the method of covariance analysized the difference of occupational stress factors of all types train drivers, the method of Stepwise regression was used to analyze the effection (R(2)) of occupational stress factors and stress mitigating factors on stress response factors. Covariance analysis as covariates in age, education level, length of service and marital status showed that the scores of ERI (1.58 ± 0.05), extrinsic effort (19.88 ± 0.44), rewards (23.43 ± 0.43), intrinsic effort (17.86 ± 0.36), physical environment (5.70 ± 0.22), social support (30.51 ± 0.88) and daily tension (10.27 ± 0.38 ) of high speed rail drivers were higher than other drivers (F values were 6.06, 11.32, 7.05, 13.25, 5.20, 9.48 and 6.14 respectively, P < 0.01), but the scores of emotional balance (4.15 ± 0.31) and positive emotion (2.06 ± 0.20) were lower than other drives (P < 0.01);the scores of psychological needs (10.48 ± 0.18), emotional balance (4.88 ± 0.16) and positive emotion (2.63 ± 0.10) of passenger train drivers were higher than other drivers (F values were 4.33 and 5.50 respectively, P < 0.01). The descending rank of the effect value on occupational stress factors and mitigating factors to depressive symptoms of train drivers was high speed rail drivers (R(2) = 0.64), passenger train drivers (R

  1. 49 CFR 391.41 - Physical qualifications for drivers.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 5 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Physical qualifications for drivers. 391.41... QUALIFICATIONS OF DRIVERS AND LONGER COMBINATION VEHICLE (LCV) DRIVER INSTRUCTORS Physical Qualifications and Examinations § 391.41 Physical qualifications for drivers. (a)(1)(i) A person subject to this part must not...

  2. 49 CFR 391.41 - Physical qualifications for drivers.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Physical qualifications for drivers. 391.41... QUALIFICATIONS OF DRIVERS AND LONGER COMBINATION VEHICLE (LCV) DRIVER INSTRUCTORS Physical Qualifications and Examinations § 391.41 Physical qualifications for drivers. (a)(1)(i) A person subject to this part must not...

  3. 49 CFR 391.41 - Physical qualifications for drivers.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 5 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Physical qualifications for drivers. 391.41... QUALIFICATIONS OF DRIVERS AND LONGER COMBINATION VEHICLE (LCV) DRIVER INSTRUCTORS Physical Qualifications and Examinations § 391.41 Physical qualifications for drivers. (a)(1)(i) A person subject to this part must not...

  4. 49 CFR 391.41 - Physical qualifications for drivers.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 5 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Physical qualifications for drivers. 391.41... QUALIFICATIONS OF DRIVERS AND LONGER COMBINATION VEHICLE (LCV) DRIVER INSTRUCTORS Physical Qualifications and Examinations § 391.41 Physical qualifications for drivers. (a)(1)(i) A person subject to this part must not...

  5. Determination of characteristics of fatally injured drivers

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2001-12-01

    The objective of this study was to identify driver characteristics that can be used to predict driver risk of fatal crashes. The study had 3 components: (1) Comparisons were made among drivers who were killed in single-vehicle crashes or were at faul...

  6. Driver drowsiness detection using multimodal sensor fusion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Andreeva, Elena O.; Aarabi, Parham; Philiastides, Marios G.; Mohajer, Keyvan; Emami, Majid

    2004-04-01

    This paper proposes a multi-modal sensor fusion algorithm for the estimation of driver drowsiness. Driver sleepiness is believed to be responsible for more than 30% of passenger car accidents and for 4% of all accident fatalities. In commercial vehicles, drowsiness is blamed for 58% of single truck accidents and 31% of commercial truck driver fatalities. This work proposes an innovative automatic sleep-onset detection system. Using multiple sensors, the driver"s body is studied as a mechanical structure of springs and dampeners. The sleep-detection system consists of highly sensitive triple-axial accelerometers to monitor the driver"s upper body in 3-D. The subject is modeled as a linear time-variant (LTV) system. An LMS adaptive filter estimation algorithm generates the transfer function (i.e. weight coefficients) for this LTV system. Separate coefficients are generated for the awake and asleep states of the subject. These coefficients are then used to train a neural network. Once trained, the neural network classifies the condition of the driver as either awake or asleep. The system has been tested on a total of 8 subjects. The tests were conducted on sleep-deprived individuals for the sleep state and on fully awake individuals for the awake state. When trained and tested on the same subject, the system detected sleep and awake states of the driver with a success rate of 95%. When the system was trained on three subjects and then retested on a fourth "unseen" subject, the classification rate dropped to 90%. Furthermore, it was attempted to correlate driver posture and sleepiness by observing how car vibrations propagate through a person"s body. Eight additional subjects were studied for this purpose. The results obtained in this experiment proved inconclusive which was attributed to significant differences in the individual habitual postures.

  7. 49 CFR 391.15 - Disqualification of drivers.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... driver. (e) Disqualification for violation of prohibition of texting while driving a commercial motor.... (2) Duration. Disqualification for violation of prohibition of texting while driving a commercial... § 391.15 Disqualification of drivers. (a) General. A driver who is disqualified shall not drive a...

  8. 49 CFR 391.15 - Disqualification of drivers.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... driver. (e) Disqualification for violation of prohibition of texting while driving a commercial motor.... (2) Duration. Disqualification for violation of prohibition of texting while driving a commercial... § 391.15 Disqualification of drivers. (a) General. A driver who is disqualified shall not drive a...

  9. 49 CFR 391.15 - Disqualification of drivers.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... driver. (e) Disqualification for violation of prohibition of texting while driving a commercial motor.... (2) Duration. Disqualification for violation of prohibition of texting while driving a commercial... § 391.15 Disqualification of drivers. (a) General. A driver who is disqualified shall not drive a...

  10. 49 CFR 391.15 - Disqualification of drivers.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... driver. (e) Disqualification for violation of prohibition of texting while driving a commercial motor.... (2) Duration. Disqualification for violation of prohibition of texting while driving a commercial... § 391.15 Disqualification of drivers. (a) General. A driver who is disqualified shall not drive a...

  11. Sexual behavior among truck drivers.

    PubMed

    Singh, Rajiv Kumar; Joshi, Hari Shankar

    2012-01-01

    A cross-sectional study was conducted on Lucknow highway in Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh to study the knowledge of truck drivers about HIV transmission and prevention and to study the sexual behaviour of these drivers with reference to HIV/AIDS. Age, marital status, education, income, drinking alcohol, length of stay away from home, knowledge about transmission and prevention of HIV, and HIV-prone behavior of truck drivers were studied. Chi-square, mean, and SD were calculated. In all, 289 (97.6%) drivers had heard about HIV/AIDS. Only 242 (81.8%) were aware of HIV transmission by heterosexual route. Misconceptions such as HIV transmission by mosquito bites, living in same room, shaking hands, and sharing food were found. Out of 174 (58.8%) who visited Commercial Sex Workers (CSW), 146 (83.9%) used a condom. 38 (12.8%) visited more than 5 CSW in the last 3 months. Time away from home on the road, marital status, alcohol use, and income class were associated with visiting CSW. High-risk behavior was established in the study population. Safe sex and use of condoms need to be promoted among the truck drivers and better condom availability needs to be assured on highways.

  12. Compliance with driver's license laws and illegal licensing among commercial bus drivers in Lagos, Nigeria: policy implications and evidence for action.

    PubMed

    Okafor, I P; Odeyemi, K A; Dolapo, D C; Adegbola, A A

    2014-09-01

    To determine the level of compliance with driver's license laws among commercial bus drivers in Lagos, Nigeria. Two intercity motor parks were selected by simple random sampling and all consenting minibus drivers participated in the study. Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) were also conducted with selected officials in the driver training and licensing authorities. Compliance with the minimum age for driving was high (93.6%), so also was having driving test prior to driver's license procurement (83.3%). Formal driver training and VA testing were very low, (26.1% and 32.9% respectively) Overall, only 9.3% of them were found to have fulfilled all the pre-license obligations before obtaining their first driver's license. The odds of a driver with a secondary education having formal driver training is 3.33 times higher than those with no education (OR 3.33, 95% CI 1.01-11.35). Drivers who were 60 years or older were 3.62 times more likely to be compliant than those who were between 20-29 years (OR 3.62, 95% CI 0.56-29.19). For the 98.3% of them who possessed valid licenses, 52.3% of them obtained them illegally. All the key officials saw RTIs as a serious public health problem but faced several challenges in the course of their work. Overall compliance with pre-license regulations was very poor. There is need for a review and strict enforcement of driver's license laws to improve compliance. Also vital are fostering inter-sectoral collaboration and improvement in the operations of all establishments involved in driver training and license procurement in Nigeria.

  13. 76 FR 26681 - Hours of Service of Drivers

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-05-09

    .... Jovanis, J.P., Wu, K.F., and Chen, C., ``Hours of Service and Driver Fatigue--Driver Characteristics... 2010. Sando, T., Mtoi, E., and Moses, R., ``Potential Causes Of Driver Fatigue: A Study On Transit Bus..., 390, and 395 [Docket No. FMCSA-2004-19608] RIN 2126-AB26 Hours of Service of Drivers AGENCY: Federal...

  14. Does attention capacity moderate the effect of driver distraction in older drivers?

    PubMed

    Cuenen, Ariane; Jongen, Ellen M M; Brijs, Tom; Brijs, Kris; Lutin, Mark; Van Vlierden, Karin; Wets, Geert

    2015-04-01

    With age, a decline in attention capacity may occur and this may impact driving performance especially while distracted. Although the effect of distraction on driving performance of older drivers has been investigated, the moderating effect of attention capacity on driving performance during distraction has not been investigated yet. Therefore, the aim was to investigate whether attention capacity has a moderating effect on older drivers' driving performance during visual distraction (experiment 1) and cognitive distraction (experiment 2). In a fixed-based driving simulator, older drivers completed a driving task without and with visual distraction (experiment 1, N=17, mean age 78 years) or cognitive distraction (experiment 2, N=35, mean age 76 years). Several specific driving measures of varying complexity (i.e., speed, lane keeping, following distance, braking behavior, and crashes) were investigated. In addition to these objective driving measures, subjective measures of workload and driving performance were also included. In experiment 1, crash occurrence increased with visual distraction and was negatively related to attention capacity. In experiment 2, complete stops at stop signs decreased, initiation of braking at pedestrian crossings was later, and crash occurrence increased with cognitive distraction. Interestingly, for a measure of lane keeping (i.e., standard deviation of lateral lane position (SDLP)), effects of both types of distraction were moderated by attention capacity. Despite the decrease of driving performance with distraction, participants estimated their driving performance during distraction as good. These results imply that attention capacity is important for driving. Driver assessment and training programs might therefore focus on attention capacity. Nonetheless, it is crucial to eliminate driver distraction as much as possible given the deterioration of performance on several driving measures in those with low and high attention capacity

  15. An examination of the environmental, driver and vehicle factors associated with the serious and fatal crashes of older rural drivers.

    PubMed

    Thompson, J P; Baldock, M R J; Mathias, J L; Wundersitz, L N

    2013-01-01

    Motor vehicle crashes involving rural drivers aged 75 years and over are more than twice as likely to result in a serious or fatal injury as those involving their urban counterparts. The current study examined some of the reasons for this using a database of police-reported crashes (2004-2008) to identify the environmental (lighting, road and weather conditions, road layout, road surface, speed limit), driver (driver error, crash type), and vehicle (vehicle age) factors that are associated with the crashes of older rural drivers. It also determined whether these same factors are associated with an increased likelihood of serious or fatal injury in younger drivers for whom frailty does not contribute to the resulting injury severity. A number of environmental (i.e., undivided, unsealed, curved and inclined roads, and areas with a speed limit of 100km/h or greater) and driver (i.e., collision with a fixed object and rolling over) factors were more frequent in the crashes of older rural drivers and additionally associated with increased injury severity in younger drivers. Moreover, when these environmental factors were entered into a logistic regression model to predict whether older drivers who were involved in crashes did or did not sustain a serious or fatal injury, it was found that each factor independently increased the likelihood of a serious or fatal injury. Changes, such as the provision of divided and sealed roads, greater protection from fixed roadside objects, and reduced speed limits, appear to be indicated in order to improve the safety of the rural driving environment for drivers of all ages. Additionally, older rural drivers should be encouraged to reduce their exposure to these risky circumstances. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Improving School Bus Driver Performance.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Farmer, Ernest

    This reference source is intended to assist the school bus driver training instructor in course preparation. Instructional units for program planning each contain pertinent course questions, a summary, and evaluation questions. Unit 1, "Introduction to the School Bus Driver Training Program," focuses on basic course objectives and…

  17. Idaho Driver Education Administrative Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Idaho State Dept. of Education, Boise.

    This guide provides information for school administrators and directors of commercial driver training schools about conducting driver education courses in Idaho. The first part of the guide, which applies to both public schools and commercial schools, covers the following areas: administration, sample letters and forms, instructional time…

  18. Impacts of climate change drivers on C4 grassland productivity: scaling driver effects through the plant community.

    PubMed

    Polley, H Wayne; Derner, Justin D; Jackson, Robert B; Wilsey, Brian J; Fay, Philip A

    2014-07-01

    Climate change drivers affect plant community productivity via three pathways: (i) direct effects of drivers on plants; (ii) the response of species abundances to drivers (community response); and (iii) the feedback effect of community change on productivity (community effect). The contribution of each pathway to driver-productivity relationships depends on functional traits of dominant species. We used data from three experiments in Texas, USA, to assess the role of community dynamics in the aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) response of C4 grasslands to two climate drivers applied singly: atmospheric CO2 enrichment and augmented summer precipitation. The ANPP-driver response differed among experiments because community responses and effects differed. ANPP increased by 80-120g m(-2) per 100 μl l(-1) rise in CO2 in separate experiments with pasture and tallgrass prairie assemblages. Augmenting ambient precipitation by 128mm during one summer month each year increased ANPP more in native than in exotic communities in a third experiment. The community effect accounted for 21-38% of the ANPP CO2 response in the prairie experiment but little of the response in the pasture experiment. The community response to CO2 was linked to species traits associated with greater soil water from reduced transpiration (e.g. greater height). Community effects on the ANPP CO2 response and the greater ANPP response of native than exotic communities to augmented precipitation depended on species differences in transpiration efficiency. These results indicate that feedbacks from community change influenced ANPP-driver responses. However, the species traits that regulated community effects on ANPP differed from the traits that determined how communities responded to drivers. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  19. Occupational exposure to whole body vibration-train drivers.

    PubMed

    Birlik, Gülin

    2009-01-01

    Whole body vibration exposure of the train drivers working for State Railway Lines is assessed by referring to ISO standard 2631 -1 and EU directive 2002/44/EC. The vibration measurements were done in the cabins of suburban and intercity train drivers. Suburban train driver performs his job usually in standing posture. Whereas intercity train driver works generally in seated (bending forward) posture and exposed to longer periods of continuous vibration, compared to suburban train drivers. The mean accelerations, a, along lateral, y, and vertical, z, directions measured on the driver seat (on the cabin floor) of the intercity (suburban) train were 1.4a (y) = 0.55 (0.28) m/s(2) and a (z) = 0.65 (0.23) m/s(2). Daily exposure action values suggested in EU directive are exceeded in case of intercity train drivers and their exposure falls within the health caution zone of ISO 2631-1. Intercity train drivers are therefore under the risk of having spinal disorders. A health surveillance plan requiring every five years the reassessment of the state of the spinal system of train drivers is suggested. As an early preventive measure, extended work day or more than one shift in a day is advised to be discouraged.

  20. Using shadow page cache to improve isolated drivers performance.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Hao; Dong, Xiaoshe; Wang, Endong; Chen, Baoke; Zhu, Zhengdong; Liu, Chengzhe

    2015-01-01

    With the advantage of the reusability property of the virtualization technology, users can reuse various types and versions of existing operating systems and drivers in a virtual machine, so as to customize their application environment. In order to prevent users' virtualization environments being impacted by driver faults in virtual machine, Chariot examines the correctness of driver's write operations by the method of combining a driver's write operation capture and a driver's private access control table. However, this method needs to keep the write permission of shadow page table as read-only, so as to capture isolated driver's write operations through page faults, which adversely affect the performance of the driver. Based on delaying setting frequently used shadow pages' write permissions to read-only, this paper proposes an algorithm using shadow page cache to improve the performance of isolated drivers and carefully study the relationship between the performance of drivers and the size of shadow page cache. Experimental results show that, through the shadow page cache, the performance of isolated drivers can be greatly improved without impacting Chariot's reliability too much.

  1. Using Shadow Page Cache to Improve Isolated Drivers Performance

    PubMed Central

    Dong, Xiaoshe; Wang, Endong; Chen, Baoke; Zhu, Zhengdong; Liu, Chengzhe

    2015-01-01

    With the advantage of the reusability property of the virtualization technology, users can reuse various types and versions of existing operating systems and drivers in a virtual machine, so as to customize their application environment. In order to prevent users' virtualization environments being impacted by driver faults in virtual machine, Chariot examines the correctness of driver's write operations by the method of combining a driver's write operation capture and a driver's private access control table. However, this method needs to keep the write permission of shadow page table as read-only, so as to capture isolated driver's write operations through page faults, which adversely affect the performance of the driver. Based on delaying setting frequently used shadow pages' write permissions to read-only, this paper proposes an algorithm using shadow page cache to improve the performance of isolated drivers and carefully study the relationship between the performance of drivers and the size of shadow page cache. Experimental results show that, through the shadow page cache, the performance of isolated drivers can be greatly improved without impacting Chariot's reliability too much. PMID:25815373

  2. Discrepancy analysis of driving performance of taxi drivers and non-professional drivers for red-light running violation and crash avoidance at intersections.

    PubMed

    Wu, Jiawei; Yan, Xuedong; Radwan, Essam

    2016-06-01

    Due to comfort, convenience, and flexibility, taxis have become increasingly more prevalent in China, especially in large cities. However, many violations and road crashes that occurred frequently were related to taxi drivers. This study aimed to investigate differences in driving performance between taxi drivers and non-professional drivers from the perspectives of red-light running violation and potential crash involvement based on a driving simulation experiment. Two typical scenarios were established in a driving simulator, which includes the red-light running violation scenario and the crash avoidance scenario. There were 49 participants, including 23 taxi drivers (14 males and 9 females) and 26 non-professional drivers (13 males and 13 females) recruited for this experiment. The driving simulation experiment results indicated that non-professional drivers paid more attention to red-light running violations in comparison to taxi drivers who had a higher probability of red-light running violation. Furthermore, it was found that taxi drivers were more inclined to turn the steering wheel in an attempt to avoid a potential collision and non-professional drivers had more abrupt deceleration behaviors when facing a potential crash. Moreover, the experiment results showed that taxi drivers had a smaller crash rate compared to non-professional drivers and had a better performance in terms of crash avoidance at the intersection. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. NASCAR drivers pose in Endeavour

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2003-07-02

    NASCAR driver Dale Jarrett poses outside the hatch of orbiter Endeavour. Jarrett and other drivers Ryan Newman and Jimmie Johnson were on a tour of KSC. The men are scheduled to drive in the Pepsi 400 auto race being held July 5 at the Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach.

  4. NASCAR drivers pose in Endeavour

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2003-07-02

    NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson poses outside the hatch of orbiter Endeavour. Johnson and other drivers Ryan Newman and Dale Jarrett were on a tour of KSC. The men are scheduled to drive in the Pepsi 400 auto race being held July 5 at the Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach.

  5. Drivers of the primate thalamus

    PubMed Central

    Rovó, Zita; Ulbert, István; Acsády, László

    2012-01-01

    The activity of thalamocortical neurons is largely determined by giant excitatory terminals, called drivers. These afferents may arise from neocortex or from subcortical centers; however their exact distribution, segregation or putative absence in given thalamic nuclei are unknown. To unravel the nucleus-specific composition of drivers, we mapped the entire macaque thalamus utilizing vesicular glutamate transporters 1 and 2 to label cortical and subcortical afferents, respectively. Large thalamic territories were innervated exclusively either by giant vGLUT2- or vGLUT1-positive boutons. Co-distribution of drivers with different origin was not abundant. In several thalamic regions, no giant terminals of any type could be detected at light microscopic level. Electron microscopic observation of these territories revealed either the complete absence of large multisynaptic excitatory terminals (basal ganglia-recipient nuclei) or the presence of both vGLUT1- and vGLUT2-positive terminals, which were significantly smaller than their giant counterparts (intralaminar nuclei, medial pulvinar). In the basal ganglia-recipient thalamus, giant inhibitory terminals replaced the excitatory driver inputs. The pulvinar and the mediodorsal nucleus displayed subnuclear heterogeneity in their driver assemblies. These results show that distinct thalamic territories can be under pure subcortical or cortical control; however there is significant variability in the composition of major excitatory inputs in several thalamic regions. Since thalamic information transfer depends on the origin and complexity of the excitatory inputs, this suggests that the computations performed by individual thalamic regions display considerable variability. Finally, the map of driver distribution may help to resolve the morphological basis of human diseases involving different parts of the thalamus. PMID:23223308

  6. Level of neurotic disorders among drivers causing traffic accidents.

    PubMed

    Durić, Predrag; Filipović, Danka

    2007-01-01

    Different aspects of driver personality may affect traffic safety. Extended driver reaction time causes deceleration of the reflexes, which is a major cause of traffic accidents. Cornell index was used in 30 drivers responsible for traffic accidents, with the aim to measure their level of neurotic disorder and compare them with results of controls (drivers not responsible for traffic accidents). Reaction time was maesured and compared among subjects with normal results of Cornell test and those with pathological findings. Drivers causing traffic accidents showed significantly higher Cornell index scores than drivers not responsible for traffic accidents. Drivers with pathological results of Cornell index showed a significantly longer reaction time.

  7. Requiring suspended drunk drivers to install alcohol interlocks to reinstate their licenses: effective?

    PubMed Central

    Voas, Robert B.; Tippetts, S. Scott; Fisher, Deborah; Grosz, Milton

    2015-01-01

    Aims To evaluate a new method being used by some states for motivating interlock installation by requiring it as a prerequisite to reinstatement of the driver’s license. Design The driving records of Florida DWI offenders convicted between July 2002 and June 2008 were analyzed to determine the proportion of offenders subject to the interlock requirement who installed interlocks. Setting Most driving-while-impaired (DWI) offenders succeed in avoiding state laws requiring the installation of a vehicle alcohol interlock. Participants A total of 82 318 Florida DWI offenders. Findings Due to long periods of complete suspension when no driving was permitted and the failure to complete all the requirements imposed by the court, only 21 377 of the 82 318 offenders studied qualified for reinstatement, but 93% of those who qualified did install interlocks to be reinstated. Conclusions Because of the lengthy license suspensions and other barriers that the offenders face in qualifying for reinstatement, it is not clear that requiring a period on the interlock as a prerequisite to reinstating will greatly increase the current installment rate. PMID:20528811

  8. Violence and the perceived risks of taking antiretroviral therapy in US jails and prisons

    PubMed Central

    Culbert, Gabriel J.

    2014-01-01

    Purpose About one in five men living with HIV in the USA passes through a correctional center annually. Jails and prisons are seen therefore as key intervention sites to promote HIV treatment as prevention. Almost no research, however, has examined inmates' perspectives on HIV treatment or their strategies for retaining access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) during incarceration. The purpose of this paper is to describe the results of an exploratory study examining men's perceptions of and experiences with HIV care and ART during incarceration. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 42 HIV positive male and male-to-female transgendered persons recently released from male correctional centers in Illinois, USA. Findings Interpersonal violence, a lack of safety, and perceived threats to privacy were frequently cited barriers to one's willingness and ability to access and adhere to treatment. Over 60 percent of study participants reported missed doses or sustained treatment interruption (greater than two weeks) because of failure to disclose their HIV status, delayed prescribing, intermittent dosing and out-of-stock medications, confiscation of medications, and medication strikes. Research limitations/implications Substantial improvements in ART access and adherence are likely to follow organizational changes that make incarcerated men feel safer, facilitate HIV status disclosure, and better protect the confidentiality of inmates receiving ART. Originality/value This study identified novel causes of ART non-adherence among prisoners and provides first-hand information about how violence, stigma, and the pursuit of social support influence prisoner's decisions to disclose their HIV status or accept ART during incarceration. PMID:25764073

  9. Redesign of Transjakarta Bus Driver's Cabin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mardi Safitri, Dian; Azmi, Nora; Singh, Gurbinder; Astuti, Pudji

    2016-02-01

    Ergonomic risk at work stations with type Seated Work Control was one of the problems faced by Transjakarta bus driver. Currently “Trisakti” type bus, one type of bus that is used by Transjakarta in corridor 9, serving route Pinang Ranti - Pluit, gained many complaints from drivers. From the results of Nordic Body Map questionnaires given to 30 drivers, it was known that drivers feel pain in the neck, arms, hips, and buttocks. Allegedly this was due to the seat position and the button/panel bus has a considerable distance range (1 meter) to be achieved by drivers. In addition, preliminary results of the questionnaire using Workstation Checklist identified their complaints about uncomfortable cushion, driver's seat backrest, and the exact position of the AC is above the driver head. To reduce the risk level of ergonomics, then did research to design the cabin by using a generic approach to designing products. The risk analysis driver posture before the design was done by using Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA), Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA), and Quick Exposure Checklist (QEC), while the calculation of the moment the body is done by using software Mannequin Pro V10.2. Furthermore, the design of generic products was done through the stages: need metric-matrix, house of quality, anthropometric data collection, classification tree concept, concept screening, scoring concept, design and manufacture of products in the form of two-dimensional. While the design after design risk analysis driver posture was done by using RULA, REBA, and calculation of moments body as well as the design visualized using software 3DMax. From the results of analysis before the draft design improvements cabin RULA obtained scores of 6, REBA 9, and the result amounted to 57.38% QEC and moment forces on the back is 247.3 LbF.inch and on the right hip is 72.9 LbF.in. While the results of the proposed improvements cabin design RULA obtained scores of 3, REBA 4, and the moment of force on

  10. Driver fatigue detection based on eye state.

    PubMed

    Lin, Lizong; Huang, Chao; Ni, Xiaopeng; Wang, Jiawen; Zhang, Hao; Li, Xiao; Qian, Zhiqin

    2015-01-01

    Nowadays, more and more traffic accidents occur because of driver fatigue. In order to reduce and prevent it, in this study, a calculation method using PERCLOS (percentage of eye closure time) parameter characteristics based on machine vision was developed. It determined whether a driver's eyes were in a fatigue state according to the PERCLOS value. The overall workflow solutions included face detection and tracking, detection and location of the human eye, human eye tracking, eye state recognition, and driver fatigue testing. The key aspects of the detection system incorporated the detection and location of human eyes and driver fatigue testing. The simplified method of measuring the PERCLOS value of the driver was to calculate the ratio of the eyes being open and closed with the total number of frames for a given period. If the eyes were closed more than the set threshold in the total number of frames, the system would alert the driver. Through many experiments, it was shown that besides the simple detection algorithm, the rapid computing speed, and the high detection and recognition accuracies of the system, the system was demonstrated to be in accord with the real-time requirements of a driver fatigue detection system.

  11. NASCAR drivers pose in Endeavour

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2003-07-02

    NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson gets a close look at the orbiter Endeavour. Johnson and other drivers Ryan Newman and Dale Jarrett were on a tour of KSC. The men are scheduled to drive in the Pepsi 400 auto race being held July 5 at the Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach.

  12. NASCAR drivers pose in Endeavour

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2003-07-02

    NASCAR driver Ryan Newman gets a close look at the orbiter Endeavour. Newman and other drivers Jimmie Johnson and Dale Jarrett were on a tour of KSC. The men are scheduled to drive in the Pepsi 400 auto race being held July 5 at the Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach.

  13. THE SLEEP OF LONG-HAUL TRUCK DRIVERS

    PubMed Central

    Mitler, Merrill M.; Miller, James C.; Lipsitz, Jeffrey J.; Walsh, James K.; Wylie, C. Dennis

    2008-01-01

    Background Fatigue and sleep deprivation are important safety issues for long-haul truck drivers. Methods We conducted round-the-clock electrophysiologic and performance monitoring of four groups of 20 male truck drivers who were carrying revenue-producing loads. We compared four driving schedules, two in the United States (five 10-hour trips of day driving beginning about the same time each day or of night driving beginning about 2 hours earlier each day) and two in Canada (four 13-hour trips of late-night-to-morning driving beginning at about the same time each evening or of afternoon-to-night driving beginning 1 hour later each day). Results Drivers averaged 5.18 hours in bed per day and 4.78 hours of electrophysiologically verified sleep per day over the five-day study (range, 3.83 hours of sleep for those on the steady 13-hour night schedule to 5.38 hours of sleep for those on the steady 10-hour day schedule). These values compared with a mean (±SD) self-reported ideal amount of sleep of 7.1±1 hours a day. For 35 drivers (44 percent), naps augmented the sleep obtained by an average of 0.45±0.31 hour. No crashes or other vehicle mishaps occurred. Two drivers had undiagnosed sleep apnea, as detected by polysomnography. Two other drivers had one episode each of stage 1 sleep while driving, as detected by electroencephalography. Forty-five drivers (56 percent) had at least 1 six-minute interval of drowsiness while driving, as judged by analysis of video recordings of their faces; 1067 of the 1989 six-minute segments (54 percent) showing drowsy drivers involved just eight drivers. Conclusions Long-haul truck drivers in this study obtained less sleep than is required for alertness on the job. The greatest vulnerability to sleep or sleep-like states is in the late night and early morning. PMID:9287232

  14. Stability analysis of automobile driver steering control

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Allen, R. W.

    1981-01-01

    In steering an automobile, the driver must basically control the direction of the car's trajectory (heading angle) and the lateral deviation of the car relative to a delineated pathway. A previously published linear control model of driver steering behavior which is analyzed from a stability point of view is considered. A simple approximate expression for a stability parameter, phase margin, is derived in terms of various driver and vehicle control parameters, and boundaries for stability are discussed. A field test study is reviewed that includes the measurement of driver steering control parameters. Phase margins derived for a range of vehicle characteristics are found to be generally consistent with known adaptive properties of the human operator. The implications of these results are discussed in terms of driver adaptive behavior.

  15. SPIDER: A Framework for Understanding Driver Distraction.

    PubMed

    Strayer, David L; Fisher, Donald L

    2016-02-01

    The objective was to identify key cognitive processes that are impaired when drivers divert attention from driving. Driver distraction is increasingly recognized as a significant source of injuries and fatalities on the roadway. A "SPIDER" model is developed that identifies key cognitive processes that are impaired when drivers divert attention from driving. SPIDER is an acronym standing for scanning, predicting, identifying, decision making, and executing a response. When drivers engage in secondary activities unrelated to the task of driving, SPIDER-related processes are impaired, situation awareness is degraded, and the ability to safely operate a motor vehicle may be compromised. The pattern of interference helps to illuminate the sources of driver distraction and may help guide the integration of new technology into the automobile. © 2015, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

  16. Effectiveness evaluation of simulative workshops for newly licensed drivers.

    PubMed

    Rosenbloom, Tova; Eldror, Ehud

    2014-02-01

    The current study set to examine the effects of simulator use in driving instruction on newly licensed drivers, comparing the road safety knowledge and reported intended behavior, as well as the actual driving performance of new drivers. Participants consisted of 280 newly licensed driver, of which 140 whose drivers license training included additional simulator-based lessons, and 140 drivers whose training precluded simulator-based lessons. All drivers answered questionnaires pertaining to their intended safe driving behaviors (according to Ajzen's (2000) theory of planned behavior), and to their traffic safety knowledge. Of the initial sample, 40 drivers received actual driving performance evaluation by an expert driving instructor, as well as by in-vehicle data recorders (IVDRs). We assumed that safer drivers report safer driving intentions, demonstrate greater traffic safety knowledge, evaluated as safer drivers by the driving instructor, and display lower and stable driving parameters on the IVDRs. We hypothesized that theoretical driving studies combined with practical training on simulators will elevate the safety level of novices driving. Hierarchical regression analyses on driving intentions indicated that drivers who did not receive simulator-based lessons demonstrated safer driving intentions compared to drivers who received simulator-based lessons. This pattern possibly indicating the drivers who received simulator-based lessons felt more confident in their driving abilities compared to drivers who did not receive simulated training. No significant difference was found in traffic safety knowledge, or in the evaluation of the expert driving instructor. IDVR data comparisons indicated drivers who received simulator-based lessons braked more often and were less prone to headway events, suggesting a more responsive driving style. These findings do not point to any significant advantage or disadvantage of the current simulator-based driving training over

  17. Drivers who self-estimate lower blood alcohol concentrations are riskier drivers after drinking.

    PubMed

    Laude, Jennifer R; Fillmore, Mark T

    2016-04-01

    Alcohol increases the tendency for risky driving in some individuals but not others. Little is known about the factors underlying this individual difference. Studies find that those who underestimate their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) following a dose of alcohol tend to be more impulsive and report greater willingness to drive after drinking than those who estimate their BACs to be greater than their actual BAC. BAC underestimation could contribute to risky driving behavior following alcohol as such drivers might perceive little impairment in their driving ability and thus no need for caution. This study was designed to test the relationship between drivers' BAC estimations following a dose of alcohol or a placebo and the degree of risky driving they displayed during a simulated driving test. Forty adult drivers performed a simulated driving test and estimated their blood alcohol concentration after receiving a dose of alcohol (0.65 g/kg for men and 0.56 g/kg for women) or a placebo. Alcohol increased risk-taking and impaired driving skill. Those who estimated their BAC to be lower were the riskiest drivers following both alcohol and placebo. The tendency to estimate lower BACs could support a series of high-risk decisions, regardless of one's actual BAC. This could include the decision to drive after drinking.

  18. Self-assessed driver competence among novice drivers--a comparison of driving test candidate assessments and examiner assessments in a Dutch and Finnish sample.

    PubMed

    Mynttinen, Sami; Sundström, Anna; Vissers, Jan; Koivukoski, Marita; Hakuli, Kari; Keskinen, Esko

    2009-01-01

    This study examined novice drivers' overconfidence by comparing their self-assessed driver competence with the assessments made by driving examiners. A Finnish (n=2,739) and a Dutch sample (n=239) of drivers license candidates assessed their driver competence in six areas and took the driving test. In contrast to previous studies where drivers have assessed their skill in comparison to the average driver, a smaller proportion overestimated and a larger proportion made realistic self-assessments of their driver competence in the present study, where self-assessments were compared with examiner assessments. Between 40% and 50% of the candidates in both samples made realistic assessments and 30% to 40% overestimated their competence. The proportion of overestimation was greater in the Dutch than in the Finnish sample, which might be explained by greater possibilities for practicing self-assessment in the Finnish driver education system. Similar to other self-assessment studies that indicate that incompetence is related to overestimation, a larger proportion of candidates that failed the test overestimated their skill compared to those who passed. In contrast to other studies, males did not overestimate their skills more than females, and younger driver candidates were not more overconfident than older drivers. Although a great proportion of the candidates made a realistic assessment of their own driver competence, overestimation is still a problem that needs to be dealt with. To improve the accuracy of novice drivers' self-assessment, methods for self-assessment training should be developed and implemented in the driver licensing process.

  19. Effectiveness of mandatory license testing for older drivers in reducing crash risk among urban older Australian drivers.

    PubMed

    Langford, Jim; Fitzharris, Michael; Koppel, Sjaanie; Newstead, Stuart

    2004-12-01

    Most licensing jurisdictions in Australia maintain mandatory assessment programs targeting older drivers, whereby a driver reaching a specified age is required to prove his or her fitness to drive through medical assessment and/or on-road testing. Previous studies both in Australia and elsewhere have consistently failed to demonstrate that age-based mandatory assessment results in reduced crash involvement for older drivers. However studies that have based their results upon either per-population or per-driver crash rates fail to take into account possible differences in driving activity. Because some older people maintain their driving licenses but rarely if ever drive, the proportion of inactive license-holders might be higher in jurisdictions without mandatory assessment relative to jurisdictions with periodic license assessment, where inactive drivers may more readily either surrender or lose their licenses. The failure to control for possible differences in driving activity across jurisdictions may be disguising possible safety benefits associated with mandatory assessment. The current study compared the crash rates of drivers in Melbourne, Australia, where there is no mandatory assessment and Sydney, Australia, where there is regular mandatory assessment from 80 years of age onward. The crash rate comparisons were based on four exposure measures: per population, per licensed driver, per distance driven, and per time spent driving. Poisson regression analysis incorporating an offset to control for inter-jurisdictional road safety differences indicated that there was no difference in crash risk for older drivers based on population. However drivers aged 80 years and older in the Sydney region had statistically higher rates of casualty crash involvement than their Melbourne counterparts on a per license issued basis (RR: 1.15, 1.02-1.29, p=0.02) and time spent driving basis (RR: 1.19, 1.06-1.34, p=0.03). A similar trend was apparent based on distance travelled

  20. Driver Support Functions under Resource-Limited Situations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Inagaki, Toshiyuki; Itoh, Makoto; Nagai, Yoshitomo

    This paper reports results of an experiment with a driving simulator in order to answer the following question: What type of support should be given to an automobile driver when it is determined, via some monitoring method, that the driver's situation awareness may not be appropriate to a given traffic condition? This paper compares (a) warning type support in which an auditory warning is given to the driver to enhance situation awareness and (b) action type support in which an autonomous safety control is executed as a soft protection for avoiding an accident. Although the both types of driver support are effective, the former sometimes fail to assure safety, which suggests a limitation of the human locus of control assumption, while efficacy of the latter may be degraded by an incorrect human reasoning that can happen under uncertainty. This paper discusses viewpoints needed in the design of systems for supporting drivers in resource-limited situations in which information or time available for a driver is limited in a given traffic condition.

  1. Evaluating the evaluation of cancer driver genes

    PubMed Central

    Tokheim, Collin J.; Papadopoulos, Nickolas; Kinzler, Kenneth W.; Vogelstein, Bert; Karchin, Rachel

    2016-01-01

    Sequencing has identified millions of somatic mutations in human cancers, but distinguishing cancer driver genes remains a major challenge. Numerous methods have been developed to identify driver genes, but evaluation of the performance of these methods is hindered by the lack of a gold standard, that is, bona fide driver gene mutations. Here, we establish an evaluation framework that can be applied to driver gene prediction methods. We used this framework to compare the performance of eight such methods. One of these methods, described here, incorporated a machine-learning–based ratiometric approach. We show that the driver genes predicted by each of the eight methods vary widely. Moreover, the P values reported by several of the methods were inconsistent with the uniform values expected, thus calling into question the assumptions that were used to generate them. Finally, we evaluated the potential effects of unexplained variability in mutation rates on false-positive driver gene predictions. Our analysis points to the strengths and weaknesses of each of the currently available methods and offers guidance for improving them in the future. PMID:27911828

  2. Modeling driver behavior in a cognitive architecture.

    PubMed

    Salvucci, Dario D

    2006-01-01

    This paper explores the development of a rigorous computational model of driver behavior in a cognitive architecture--a computational framework with underlying psychological theories that incorporate basic properties and limitations of the human system. Computational modeling has emerged as a powerful tool for studying the complex task of driving, allowing researchers to simulate driver behavior and explore the parameters and constraints of this behavior. An integrated driver model developed in the ACT-R (Adaptive Control of Thought-Rational) cognitive architecture is described that focuses on the component processes of control, monitoring, and decision making in a multilane highway environment. This model accounts for the steering profiles, lateral position profiles, and gaze distributions of human drivers during lane keeping, curve negotiation, and lane changing. The model demonstrates how cognitive architectures facilitate understanding of driver behavior in the context of general human abilities and constraints and how the driving domain benefits cognitive architectures by pushing model development toward more complex, realistic tasks. The model can also serve as a core computational engine for practical applications that predict and recognize driver behavior and distraction.

  3. 55+ Drivers: Needs and Problems of Older Drivers: Survey Results and Recommendations. Proceedings of the Older Driver Colloquium (Orlando, Florida, February 4-7, 1985).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Malfetti, James L., Ed.

    These proceedings include 11 background papers that were presented by a panel of authorities in traffic safety and/or gerontology who were professionally concerned with older drivers and pedestrians. Papers focus on the needs and problems of older drivers and on what can and should be done to deal with them. Recommendations to improve safety for…

  4. High current, high bandwidth laser diode current driver

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Copeland, David J.; Zimmerman, Robert K., Jr.

    1991-01-01

    A laser diode current driver has been developed for free space laser communications. The driver provides 300 mA peak modulation current and exhibits an optical risetime of less than 400 ps. The current and optical pulses are well behaved and show minimal ringing. The driver is well suited for QPPM modulation at data rates up to 440 Mbit/s. Much previous work has championed current steering circuits; in contrast, the present driver is a single-ended on/off switch. This results in twice the power efficiency as a current steering driver. The driver electrical efficiency for QPPM data is 34 percent. The high speed switch is realized with a Ku-band GaAsFET transistor, with a suitable pre-drive circuit, on a hybrid microcircuit adjacent to the laser diode.

  5. Look-ahead driver feedback and powertrain management

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Verma, Rajeev

    2014-12-31

    Commercial medium and heavy vehicles, though only a small portion of total vehicle population, play a significant role in energy consumption. In 2012, these vehicles accounted for about 5775.5 trillion btu of energy consumption and 408.8 million tons of CO2 emissions annually, which is a quarter of the total energy burden of highway transportation in the United States [1]. This number is expected to surpass passenger car fuel use within the next few decades. In the meantime, most commercial vehicle fleets are running at a very low profit margin. It is a well known fact that fuel economy can varymore » significantly between drivers, even when they operate the same vehicle on the same route. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Natural Resource Canada (NRCan), there is up to 35% fuel economy difference between drivers within the same commercial fleet [2] [3], [4]. Similar results were obtained from a Field Operation Test conducted by Eaton Corporation [5]. During this test as much as 30% fuel economy difference was observed among pick-up-and-delivery drivers and 11% difference was observed among line-haul drivers. The driver variability can be attributed to the fact that different drivers react differently to driving conditions such as road grade, traffic, speed limits, etc. For instance, analysis of over 600k miles of naturalistic heavy duty truck driving data [5] indicates that an experienced driver anticipates a downhill and eases up on the throttle to save fuel while an inexperienced driver lacks this judgment.« less

  6. Dynamic Discharge Arc Driver. [computerized simulation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dannenberg, R. E.; Slapnicar, P. I.

    1975-01-01

    A computer program using nonlinear RLC circuit analysis was developed to accurately model the electrical discharge performance of the Ames 1-MJ energy storage and arc-driver system. Solutions of circuit parameters are compared with experimental circuit data and related to shock speed measurements. Computer analysis led to the concept of a Dynamic Discharge Arc Driver (DDAD) capable of increasing the range of operation of shock-driven facilities. Utilization of mass addition of the driver gas offers a unique means of improving driver performance. Mass addition acts to increase the arc resistance, which results in better electrical circuit damping with more efficient Joule heating, producing stronger shock waves. Preliminary tests resulted in an increase in shock Mach number from 34 to 39 in air at an initial pressure of 2.5 torr.

  7. Impact of a graduated driver's license law on crashes involving young drivers in New York State.

    PubMed

    Cheng, Julius D; Schubmehl, Heidi; Kahn, Steven A; Gestring, Mark L; Sangosanya, Ayodele; Stassen, Nicole A; Bankey, Paul E

    2012-08-01

    Motor vehicle crashes constitute the greatest risk of injury for young adults. Graduated driver licensing (GDL) laws have been used to reduce the number of injuries and deaths in the young driver population. The New York State GDL law increased supervision of young driver and limited both time-of-day driven and number of passengers. This review examines the impact of a GDL enacted in New York in September 2003. A retrospective review of New York State administrative databases from 2001 to 2009 was performed. During this period, a state-wide GDL requirement was implemented. Database review included all reported crashes to the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles by cause and driver age as well as motor fuel tax receipts by the New York State Comptroller's Office. Motor fuel tax receipts and consumption information were used as a proxy for overall miles driven. Before 2003, drivers younger than 18 years were involved in 90 fatal crashes and 10,406 personal-injury (PI) crashes, constituting 4.49% and 3.38% of all fatal and PI crashes in New York State, respectively. By 2009, the number of fatal and PI crashes involving drivers who are younger than 18 years decreased to 44 (2.87%) and 5,246 (2.24%), respectively. Of note, the number of crashes experienced by the age group 18 years to 20 years during this period also declined, from 192 (9.59% of all fatal crashes) and 25,407 (8.24% of all PI crashes) to 135 (8.81%) and 18,114 (7.73%), respectively. Overall numbers of crashes reported remained relatively stable, between 549,000 in 2001 and 520,000 in 2009. Motor fuel use during this period also declined, but to a lesser degree ($552 million to $516 million or 6.6%). The use of a GDL law in New York State has shown a large decrease in the number of fatalities and PI crashes involving young drivers. The delay in full driver privileges from the GDL did not result in an increase in fatal or PI crashes in the next older age group.

  8. NASCAR drivers pose in Endeavour

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2003-07-02

    NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson tries out a seat of another vehicle known for speed: the orbiter Endeavour. Johnson and other drivers Dale Jarrett and Ryan Newman were on a tour of KSC. The men are scheduled to drive in the Pepsi 400 auto race being held July 5 at the Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach.

  9. NASCAR drivers pose in Endeavour

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2003-07-02

    NASCAR driver Dale Jarrett tries out a seat of another vehicle known for speed: the orbiter Endeavour. Jarrett and other drivers Jimmie Johnson and Ryan Newman were on a tour of KSC. The men are scheduled to drive in the Pepsi 400 auto race being held July 5 at the Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach.

  10. NASCAR drivers pose in Endeavour

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2003-07-02

    NASCAR driver Ryan Newman tries out a seat of another vehicle known for speed: the orbiter Endeavour. Newman and other drivers Dale Jarrett and Jimmie Johnson were on a tour of KSC. The men are scheduled to drive in the Pepsi 400 auto race being held July 5 at the Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach.

  11. Improving driver safety with behavioral countermeasures.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2011-09-30

    "The purpose of this project was to provide MDOT with insight regarding the effectiveness of potential implementations of behavioral countermeasures for increasing driver safety in Michigan. The Center for Driver Evaluation, Education, and Research a...

  12. Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk, But Do They Let Friends Drive High?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Glascoff, Mary A.; Shrader, Joe S.; Haddock, Rose K.

    2013-01-01

    This study reports on a study of college students at a state supported university regarding the use of designated drivers associated with illicit drug use, especially marijuana use. The purpose of the study was to examine whether college students report that they drive under the influence of illicit drugs, if they use the strategy of designating a…

  13. Testing a structural model of young driver willingness to uptake Smartphone Driver Support Systems.

    PubMed

    Kervick, Aoife A; Hogan, Michael J; O'Hora, Denis; Sarma, Kiran M

    2015-10-01

    There is growing interest in the potential value of using phone applications that can monitor driver behaviour (Smartphone Driver Support Systems, 'SDSSs') in mitigating risky driving by young people. However, their value in this regard will only be realised if young people are willing to use this technology. This paper reports the findings of a study in which a novel structural model of willingness to use SDSSs was tested. Grounded in the driver monitoring and Technology Acceptance (TA) research literature, the model incorporates the perceived risks and gains associated with potential SDSS usage and additional social cognitive factors, including perceived usability and social influences. A total of 333 smartphone users, aged 18-24, with full Irish driving licenses completed an online questionnaire examining willingness or Behavioural Intention (BI) to uptake a SDSS. Following exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, structural equation modelling indicated that perceived gains and social influence factors had significant direct effects on BI. Perceived risks and social influence also had significant indirect effects on BI, as mediated by perceived gains. Overall, this model accounted for 72.5% of the variance in willingness to uptake SDSSs. Multi-group structural models highlighted invariance of effects across gender, high and low risk drivers, and those likely or unlikely to adopt novel phone app technologies. These findings have implications for our understanding of the willingness of young drivers to adopt and use SDSSs, and highlight potential factors that could be targeted in behavioural change interventions seeking to improve usage rates. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Comparison of visual status of Iranian military and commercial drivers.

    PubMed

    Ghasemi, Mohammad; Hoseini Yazdi, Seyed Hosein; Heravian, Javad; Jafarzadehpur, Ebrahim; Rezaee, Maryam

    2015-04-01

    There is no legal requirement for Iranian military truck drivers to undergo regular visual checkups as compared to commercial truck drivers. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of drivers' visual checkups by comparing the visual function of Iranian military and commercial truck drivers. In this comparative cross-sectional study, two hundred military and 200 commercial truck drivers were recruited and their Visual Acuity (VA), Visual Field (VF), color vision and Contrast Sensitivity (CS) were assessed and compared using the Snellen chart, confrontation screening method, D15 test and Pelli-Robson letter chart, respectively. A questionnaire regarding driving exposure and history of motor-vehicle crashes (MVCs) was also filled by drivers. Results were analyzed using an independent samples t-test, one-way ANOVA (assessing difference in number of MVCs across different age groups), chi-square test and Pearson correlation at statistical significance level of P < 0.05. Mean age was 41.6 ± 9.2 for the military truck drivers and 43.4 ± 10.9 for commercial truck drivers (P > 0.05). No significant difference between military and commercial drivers was found in terms of driving experience, number of MVCs, binocular VA, frequency of color vision defects and CS scores. In contrast, the last ocular examination was significantly earlier in military drivers than commercial drivers (P < 0.001). In addition, 4% of military drivers did not meet the national standards to drive as opposed to 2% of commercial drivers. There was a significant but weak correlation between binocular VA and age (r = 0.175, P < 0.001). However, CS showed a significantly moderate correlation with age (r = -0.488, P < 0.001). The absence of legal requirement for regular eye examination in military drivers caused the incompetent drivers to be missed in contrast to commercial drivers. The need for scientific revision of VA standard for Iranian drivers is also discussed. The CS measurement in visual checkups

  15. Real-time driver drowsiness feedback improves driver alertness and self-reported driving performance.

    PubMed

    Aidman, Eugene; Chadunow, Carolyn; Johnson, Kayla; Reece, John

    2015-08-01

    Driver drowsiness has been implicated as a major causal factor in road accidents. Tools that allow remote monitoring and management of driver fatigue are used in the mining and road transport industries. Increasing drivers' own awareness of their drowsiness levels using such tools may also reduce risk of accidents. The study examined the effects of real-time blink-velocity-derived drowsiness feedback on driver performance and levels of alertness in a military setting. A sample of 15 Army Reserve personnel (1 female) aged 21-59 (M=41.3, SD=11.1) volunteered to being monitored by an infra-red oculography-based Optalert Alertness Monitoring System (OAMS) while they performed their regular driving tasks, including on-duty tasks and commuting to and from duty, for a continuous period of 4-8 weeks. For approximately half that period, blink-velocity-derived Johns Drowsiness Scale (JDS) scores were fed back to the driver in a counterbalanced repeated-measures design, resulting in a total of 419 driving periods under "feedback" and 385 periods under "no-feedback" condition. Overall, the provision of real-time feedback resulted in reduced drowsiness (lower JDS scores) and improved alertness and driving performance ratings. The effect was small and varied across the 24-h circadian cycle but it remained robust after controlling for time of day and driving task duration. Both the number of JDS peaks counted for each trip and their duration declined in the presence of drowsiness feedback, indicating a dynamic pattern that is consistent with a genuine, entropy-reducing feedback mechanism (as distinct from random re-alerting) behind the observed effect. Its mechanisms and practical utility have yet to be fully explored. Direct examination of the alternative, random re-alerting explanation of this feedback effect is an important step for future research. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Myocardial infarction in Swedish subway drivers.

    PubMed

    Bigert, Carolina; Klerdal, Kristina; Hammar, Niklas; Gustavsson, Per

    2007-08-01

    Particulate matter in urban air is associated with the risk of myocardial infarction in the general population. Very high levels of airborne particles have been detected in the subway system of Stockholm, as well as in several other large cities. This situation has caused concern for negative health effects among subway staff. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is an increased incidence of myocardial infarction among subway drivers. Data from a population-based case-control study of men aged 40-69 in Stockholm County in 1976-1996 were used. The study included all first events of myocardial infarction in registers of hospital discharges and deaths. The controls were selected randomly from the general population. National censuses were used for information on occupation. Altogether, 22 311 cases and 131 496 controls were included. Among these, 54 cases and 250 controls had worked as subway drivers. The relative risk of myocardial infarction among subway drivers was not increased. It was 0.92 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.68-1.25] when the subway drivers were compared with other manual workers and 1.06 (95% CI 0.78-1.43) when the subway drivers were compared with all other gainfully employed men. Subgroup analyses indicated no influence on the risk of myocardial infarction from the duration of employment, latency time, or time since employment stopped. Subway drivers in Stockholm do not have a higher incidence of myocardial infarction than other employed persons.

  17. Sex and Condom Use in a Large Jail Unit for Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) and Male-to-Female Transgenders

    PubMed Central

    Harawa, Nina T.; Sweat, Jeffery; George, Sheba; Sylla, Mary

    2013-01-01

    Few data are available on factors contributing to sexual activity and condom use in custody settings, particularly among self-identified sexual minority prisoners. To address this gap, we undertook a study of sexual behavior and condom use of 101 randomly-selected men who have sex with men (MSM) and male-to-female transgender inmates in a segregated Los Angeles jail unit that has weekly condom access. Most survey participants (53%) reported anal sex during custody. Although 65% of these reported using condoms, 75% also reported having sex without condoms. Qualitative interviews (n=17) indicate a wide range of reasons for participating in protected and unprotected sex during custody, the use of cues within the custody environment to assess potential partners’ HIV status, and support for increased condom availability. Findings also indicate that high-risk sex occurs frequently in this unit and that condom distribution likely prevents a substantial amount of related HIV/STD risk. PMID:20693745

  18. Driver license testing of young novice drivers : traffic tech.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2010-11-01

    Driver license tests are designed to ensure that people using : public roadways have a minimum level of driving skill and : an awareness of safe driving practices and road laws. License : applicants proceed through the administrative processes of : t...

  19. Nearing saturation of cancer driver gene discovery.

    PubMed

    Hsiehchen, David; Hsieh, Antony

    2018-06-15

    Extensive sequencing efforts of cancer genomes such as The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) have been undertaken to uncover bona fide cancer driver genes which has enhanced our understanding of cancer and revealed therapeutic targets. However, the number of driver gene mutations is bounded, indicating that there must be a point when further sequencing efforts will be excessive. We found that there was a significant positive correlation between sample size and identified driver gene mutations across 33 cancers sequenced by the TCGA, which is expected if additional sequencing is still leading to the identification of more driver genes. However, the rate of new cancer driver genes being discovered with larger samples is declining rapidly. Our analysis provides a general guide for determining which cancer types would likely benefit from additional sequencing efforts, particularly those with relatively high rates of cancer driver gene discovery. Our results argue that past strategies of indiscriminately sequencing as many specimens as possible for all cancer types is becoming inefficient. In addition, without significant investments into applying our knowledge of cancer genomes, we risk sequencing more cancer genomes for the sake of sequencing rather than meaningful patient benefit.

  20. Fighting against a shortage of truck drivers in logistics: Measures that employers can take to promote drivers' work ability and health.

    PubMed

    Staats, Ulrike; Lohaus, Daniela; Christmann, Alina; Woitschek, Michèle

    2017-01-01

    For several years, the transportation industry has been concerned about a severe shortage of professional truck drivers. Studies investigating the reasons found that poor working conditions and stresses and strains resulting from physiological and psychological job demands have had a negative impact on drivers' health and ability to work. Nevertheless, until now, most employers have refrained from offering measures to support the work ability and well-being of drivers, mainly due to financial pressures in the industry. The present study was aimed at designing adequate and affordable measures to support drivers' health. With reference to the Work Ability Index and the house of work ability (Ilmarinen & Tuomi, 2004), 56 truck drivers participated in guided interviews about their working conditions and health-related problems as well as their attitudes, experiences, and desires with respect to being offered supportive measures by their employers. The measures derived are specific and realizable and expected to be widely accepted by professional drivers. They are designed to elicit a positive attitude in the drivers toward exercising and to help them overcome related psychological barriers. The implementation of the recommended measures can be expected to support drivers' work ability and help reduce the frictional costs of their employers.

  1. Driver Expectations When Navigating Complex Interchanges

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-10-01

    The purpose of this project was to develop a method for determining driver expectations at interchanges and to use that method to determine how these expectations affect driver behavior at interchanges that vary in level of complexity, including prov...

  2. Older drivers' foot movements : traffic tech.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2017-07-01

    This study explored how older drivers use their accelerator and : brake pedals, to identify characteristics that could pose an increased : risk of a pedal application error. The study also explored whether : driver-vehicle fit was related to these ch...

  3. Driver distraction in commercial vehicle operations

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2009-09-01

    This study investigated the impact of driver distraction in commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operations. Data from two earlier naturalistic studies were combined to create a data set of 203 CMV drivers and 55 trucks from seven trucking fleets operating...

  4. Psychoactive substances in seriously injured drivers in Denmark.

    PubMed

    Wiese Simonsen, K; Steentoft, A; Bernhoft, I M; Hels, T; Rasmussen, B S; Linnet, K

    2013-01-10

    This study assesses the presence of a number of psychoactive substances, including alcohol, based on blood samples from 840 seriously injured drivers admitted to five selected hospitals located in five different regions of Denmark. The study was a part of the EU 6th framework program DRUID (Driving Under the Influence of Drugs, Alcohol and Medicines). Blood samples were screened for 30 illegal and legal psychoactive substances and metabolites as well as ethanol. Danish legal limits were used to evaluate the frequency of drivers violating the Danish legislation while limit of quantification (LOQ) was used for monitoring positive drivers. Tramadol is not included in the Danish legislation therefore the general cut off, as decided in the DRUID project was used. Overall, ethanol (18%) was the most frequently identified compound (alone or in combination with other drugs) exceeding the legal limit, which is 0.53g/l in Denmark. The percentage of seriously injured drivers testing positive for medicinal drugs at levels above the Danish legal limit was 6.8%. Benzodiazepines and Z-drugs (6.4%) comprised the majority of this group. One or more illegal drugs (primarily amphetamines and cannabis) were found to be above the Danish legal limit in 4.9% of injured drivers. Young men (median age 31 years) were over-represented among injured drivers who violated Danish law for alcohol and drugs. Diazepam (4.4%), tramadol (3.2%), and clonazepam (3.0%) were the medicinal drugs most frequently detected at levels above LOQ, whereas amphetamines (5.4%) (amphetamine [5.2%] and methamphetamine [1.5%]), tetrahydrocannabinol (3.7%), and cocaine (3.3%), including the metabolite benzoylecgonine, were the most frequently detected illegal drugs. A driver could be positive for more than one substance; therefore, percentages are not mutually exclusive. Poly-drug use was observed in 112 (13%) seriously injured drivers. Tramadol was detected above DRUID cutoffs in 2.1% of seriously injured drivers

  5. Sitting biomechanics, part II: optimal car driver's seat and optimal driver's spinal model.

    PubMed

    Harrison, D D; Harrison, S O; Croft, A C; Harrison, D E; Troyanovich, S J

    2000-01-01

    Driving has been associated with signs and symptoms caused by vibrations. Sitting causes the pelvis to rotate backwards and the lumbar lordosis to reduce. Lumbar support and armrests reduce disc pressure and electromyographically recorded values. However, the ideal driver's seat and an optimal seated spinal model have not been described. To determine an optimal automobile seat and an ideal spinal model of a driver. Information was obtained from peer-reviewed scientific journals and texts, automotive engineering reports, and the National Library of Medicine. Driving predisposes vehicle operators to low-back pain and degeneration. The optimal seat would have an adjustable seat back incline of 100 degrees from horizontal, a changeable depth of seat back to front edge of seat bottom, adjustable height, an adjustable seat bottom incline, firm (dense) foam in the seat bottom cushion, horizontally and vertically adjustable lumbar support, adjustable bilateral arm rests, adjustable head restraint with lordosis pad, seat shock absorbers to dampen frequencies in the 1 to 20 Hz range, and linear front-back travel of the seat enabling drivers of all sizes to reach the pedals. The lumbar support should be pulsating in depth to reduce static load. The seat back should be damped to reduce rebounding of the torso in rear-end impacts. The optimal driver's spinal model would be the average Harrison model in a 10 degrees posterior inclining seat back angle.

  6. Older drivers, the age factor in traffic safety

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1989-02-01

    The report presents an overview of the traffic safety problem in relation to the age of the driver. Emphasis is placed on the older drivers. Crash involvement rates are developed for each age group of drivers based on their estimated annual travel. T...

  7. Driver electronic device use in 2013.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2015-04-01

    The percentage of drivers text-messaging or visibly manipulating : hand-held devices increased from 1.5 percent in : 2012 to 1.7 percent in 2013; however, this was not a statistically : significant increase. Driver hand-held cell phone : use decrease...

  8. Road accidents caused by drivers falling asleep.

    PubMed

    Sagberg, F

    1999-11-01

    About 29600 Norwegian accident-involved drivers received a questionnaire about the last accident reported to their insurance company. About 9200 drivers (31%) returned the questionnaire. The questionnaire contained questions about sleep or fatigue as contributing factors to the accident. In addition, the drivers reported whether or not they had fallen asleep some time whilst driving. and what the consequences had been. Sleep or drowsiness was a contributing factor in 3.9% of all accidents, as reported by drivers who were at fault for the accident. This factor was strongly over-represented in night-time accidents (18.6%), in running-off-the-road accidents (8.3%), accidents after driving more than 150 km on one trip (8.1%), and personal injury accidents (7.3%). A logistic regression analysis showed that the following additional factors made significant and independent contributions to increasing the odds of sleep involvement in an accident: dry road, high speed limit, driving one's own car, not driving the car daily, high education, and few years of driving experience. More male than female drivers were involved in sleep-related accidents, but this seems largely to be explained by males driving relatively more than females on roads with high speed limits. A total of 10% of male drivers and 4% of females reported to have fallen asleep while driving during the last 12 months. A total of 4% of these events resulted in an accident. The most frequent consequence of falling asleep--amounting to more than 40% of the reported incidents--was crossing of the right edge-line before awaking, whereas crossing of the centreline was reported by 16%. Drivers' lack of awareness of important precursors of falling asleep--like highway hypnosis, driving without awareness, and similar phenomena--as well as a reluctance to discontinue driving despite feeling tired are pointed out as likely contributors to sleep-related accidents. More knowledge about the drivers' experiences immediately

  9. Comparison of Visual Status of Iranian Military and Commercial Drivers

    PubMed Central

    Ghasemi, Mohammad; Hoseini Yazdi, Seyed Hosein; Heravian, Javad; Jafarzadehpur, Ebrahim; Rezaee, Maryam

    2015-01-01

    Background: There is no legal requirement for Iranian military truck drivers to undergo regular visual checkups as compared to commercial truck drivers. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of drivers’ visual checkups by comparing the visual function of Iranian military and commercial truck drivers. Patients and Methods: In this comparative cross-sectional study, two hundred military and 200 commercial truck drivers were recruited and their Visual Acuity (VA), Visual Field (VF), color vision and Contrast Sensitivity (CS) were assessed and compared using the Snellen chart, confrontation screening method, D15 test and Pelli-Robson letter chart, respectively. A questionnaire regarding driving exposure and history of motor-vehicle crashes (MVCs) was also filled by drivers. Results were analyzed using an independent samples t-test, one-way ANOVA (assessing difference in number of MVCs across different age groups), chi-square test and Pearson correlation at statistical significance level of P < 0.05. Results: Mean age was 41.6 ± 9.2 for the military truck drivers and 43.4 ± 10.9 for commercial truck drivers (P > 0.05). No significant difference between military and commercial drivers was found in terms of driving experience, number of MVCs, binocular VA, frequency of color vision defects and CS scores. In contrast, the last ocular examination was significantly earlier in military drivers than commercial drivers (P < 0.001). In addition, 4% of military drivers did not meet the national standards to drive as opposed to 2% of commercial drivers. There was a significant but weak correlation between binocular VA and age (r = 0.175, P < 0.001). However, CS showed a significantly moderate correlation with age (r = -0.488, P < 0.001). Conclusions: The absence of legal requirement for regular eye examination in military drivers caused the incompetent drivers to be missed in contrast to commercial drivers. The need for scientific revision of VA standard for

  10. Safety implications of providing real-time feedback to distracted drivers.

    PubMed

    Donmez, Birsen; Boyle, Linda Ng; Lee, John D

    2007-05-01

    A driving simulator study was conducted to assess whether real-time feedback on a driver's state can influence the driver's interaction with in-vehicle information systems (IVIS). Previous studies have shown that IVIS tasks can undermine driver safety by increasing driver distraction. Thus, mitigating driver distraction using a feedback mechanism appears promising. This study was designed to test real-time feedback that alerts drivers based on their off-road eye glances. Feedback was displayed in two display locations (vehicle-centered, and IVIS-centered) to 16 young and 13 middle-aged drivers. Distraction was observed as problematic for both age groups with delayed responses to a lead vehicle-braking event as indicated by delayed accelerator releases. Significant benefits were not observed for braking and steering behavior for this experiment, but there was a significant change in drivers' interaction with IVIS. When given feedback on their distracted state, drivers looked at the in-vehicle display less frequently regardless of where feedback was displayed in the vehicle. This indicates that real-time feedback based on the driver state can positively alter driver's engagement in distracting activities, helping them attend better to the roadway.

  11. Smart Vehicle System

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pahadiya, Pallavi; Gupta, Rajni

    2010-11-01

    An approach to overcome the accidental problem happens in the night, while the driver is drunk or feels sleepy. This system controls the speed of the vehicle at steep turns. It is designed, to provide the information to the driver, whether the next turn is right/left, is there any traffic jam or land sliding in the coming way. It also assists during heavy rains and mist conditions. It may be implemented by using computer or by using a dedicated microcontroller. If we have a group of vehicles connected with the system then we can locate them by using the cameras, at different places. Information regarding any vehicle can be transmitted anywhere using Internet provided at the monitoring system, so as to prevent accidents or provide information during any calamity.

  12. Transportation needs of the older driver : final report.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1993-01-01

    A growing percentage of all drivers are aged 55 and older. The findings of a number of safety studies have also fostered national interest in older driver issues. The needs and problems of Virginia drivers age 55 and older were identified in 10 focus...

  13. Driver responses to differing urban work zone configurations.

    PubMed

    Morgan, J F; Duley, A R; Hancock, P A

    2010-05-01

    This study reports the results of a simulator-based assessment of driver response to two different urban highway work zone configurations. One configuration represented an existing design which was contrasted with a second configuration that presented a reduced taper length prototype work zone design. Twenty-one drivers navigated the two different work zones in two different conditions, one with and one without a lead vehicle; in this case a bus. Measures of driver speed, braking, travel path, and collision frequency were recorded. Drivers navigated significantly closer to the boundary of the work area in the reduced taper length design. This proximity effect was moderated by the significant interaction between lead vehicle and taper length and such interactive effects were also observed for driver speed at the end of the work zone and the number of collisions observed within the work zone itself. These results suggest that reduced taper length poses an increase in risk to both drivers and work zone personnel, primarily when driver anticipation is reduced by foreshortened viewing distances. Increase in such risk is to a degree offset by the reduction of overall exposure to the work zone that a foreshortened taper creates. The benefits and limitations to a simulation-based approach to the assessment and prediction of driver behavior in different work zone configurations are also discussed. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Drivers' and non-drivers' performance in a change detection task with static driving scenes: is there a benefit of experience?

    PubMed

    Zhao, Nan; Chen, Wenfeng; Xuan, Yuming; Mehler, Bruce; Reimer, Bryan; Fu, Xiaolan

    2014-01-01

    The 'looked-but-failed-to-see' phenomenon is crucial to driving safety. Previous research utilising change detection tasks related to driving has reported inconsistent effects of driver experience on the ability to detect changes in static driving scenes. Reviewing these conflicting results, we suggest that drivers' increased ability to detect changes will only appear when the task requires a pattern of visual attention distribution typical of actual driving. By adding a distant fixation point on the road image, we developed a modified change blindness paradigm and measured detection performance of drivers and non-drivers. Drivers performed better than non-drivers only in scenes with a fixation point. Furthermore, experience effect interacted with the location of the change and the relevance of the change to driving. These results suggest that learning associated with driving experience reflects increased skill in the efficient distribution of visual attention across both the central focus area and peripheral objects. This article provides an explanation for the previously conflicting reports of driving experience effects in change detection tasks. We observed a measurable benefit of experience in static driving scenes, using a modified change blindness paradigm. These results have translational opportunities for picture-based training and testing tools to improve driver skill.

  15. Road characteristics and driver fatigue: a simulator study.

    PubMed

    Oron-Gilad, Tal; Ronen, Adi

    2007-09-01

    Two experiments examined the influence of road characteristics on driver fatigue in a prolonged simulator drive. In experiment one, ten military truck drivers drove a mixed route, with straight, winding, and straight highway segments. In experiment two, 16 additional drivers drove either a straight, a winding, or a mixed route. Fatigue symptoms were assessed using performance, subjective, and psychophysiological measures (HRV). We hypothesized that drivers adopt different fatigue-coping strategies relative to the demands of the drive. Thus, on straight roads drivers are more likely to loosen their driving demands by either increasing their driving speed and/or not maintaining the lane position, as the road is tolerant to both strategies, whereas on winding roads, drivers are more likely to increase their speed but not their lane positioning. Our results confirm that decremental changes in driving performance varied among road types. In the straight road components, we found decrements in the quality of lane maintaining (experiment one) and steering quality (experiments one and two) and longitudinal speed (experiment two). In the winding road, we found that drivers increased their driving speed over time (experiments one and two).

  16. Directing driver attention with augmented reality cues

    PubMed Central

    Rusch, Michelle L.; Schall, Mark C.; Gavin, Patrick; Lee, John D.; Dawson, Jeffrey D.; Vecera, Shaun; Rizzo, Matthew

    2013-01-01

    This simulator study evaluated the effects of augmented reality (AR) cues designed to direct the attention of experienced drivers to roadside hazards. Twenty-seven healthy middle-aged licensed drivers with a range of attention capacity participated in a 54 mile (1.5 hour) drive in an interactive fixed-base driving simulator. Each participant received AR cues to potential roadside hazards in six simulated straight (9 mile long) rural roadway segments. Drivers were evaluated on response time for detecting a potentially hazardous event, detection accuracy for target (hazard) and non-target objects, and headway with respect to the hazards. Results showed no negative outcomes associated with interference. AR cues did not impair perception of non-target objects, including for drivers with lower attentional capacity. Results showed near significant response time benefits for AR cued hazards. AR cueing increased response rate for detecting pedestrians and warning signs but not vehicles. AR system false alarms and misses did not impair driver responses to potential hazards. PMID:24436635

  17. Driver training interests of a Spanish sample of young drivers and its relationship with their self-assessment skills concerning risky driving behavior.

    PubMed

    Molina, J Gabriel; Sanmartín, Jaime; Keskinen, Esko

    2013-03-01

    Poor driving self-assessment skills (e.g., over-confidence) have been pointed out as an important explanatory factor behind young drivers' accident involvement. This paper explores (1) what young drivers miss in their training as drivers in order to analyze whether an assessment of one's own driving skills plays an important role in their desire to improve as drivers, and (2) how these training interests are related to an estimate of their self-assessment skills concerning risky driving behavior. For this purpose, a study was conducted using a survey with a blocked sampling design of novice drivers. The survey solicited respondents' self-report about (1) the contents of training courses that they feel would improve their driving, (2) their risky driving behavior, and (3) their likelihood of being involved in a risky driving situation. From the initial sample invited to participate, of nearly 1300 people, we finally obtained complete data from 321 young Spanish drivers. Two main results were apparent from our data analysis: (1) the novice drivers were mainly interested in improving their ability to recognize their strengths and weaknesses as drivers (i.e., self-assessment skills); (2) a significant relationship was found between novice drivers' interests and their current self-assessment skills concerning risky driving behavior. Specifically, there was greater general interest expressed in post-license training by the under-confident self-assessors than the over-confident ones. These results provide a relevant input which should be taken into account when designing driver training programs for novice drivers. Moreover, the relationship between their training interests and their risky driving self-assessment skills introduces an additional factor to be considered in the implementation of these training programs. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Comprehensive Characterization of Cancer Driver Genes and Mutations.

    PubMed

    Bailey, Matthew H; Tokheim, Collin; Porta-Pardo, Eduard; Sengupta, Sohini; Bertrand, Denis; Weerasinghe, Amila; Colaprico, Antonio; Wendl, Michael C; Kim, Jaegil; Reardon, Brendan; Ng, Patrick Kwok-Shing; Jeong, Kang Jin; Cao, Song; Wang, Zixing; Gao, Jianjiong; Gao, Qingsong; Wang, Fang; Liu, Eric Minwei; Mularoni, Loris; Rubio-Perez, Carlota; Nagarajan, Niranjan; Cortés-Ciriano, Isidro; Zhou, Daniel Cui; Liang, Wen-Wei; Hess, Julian M; Yellapantula, Venkata D; Tamborero, David; Gonzalez-Perez, Abel; Suphavilai, Chayaporn; Ko, Jia Yu; Khurana, Ekta; Park, Peter J; Van Allen, Eliezer M; Liang, Han; Lawrence, Michael S; Godzik, Adam; Lopez-Bigas, Nuria; Stuart, Josh; Wheeler, David; Getz, Gad; Chen, Ken; Lazar, Alexander J; Mills, Gordon B; Karchin, Rachel; Ding, Li

    2018-04-05

    Identifying molecular cancer drivers is critical for precision oncology. Multiple advanced algorithms to identify drivers now exist, but systematic attempts to combine and optimize them on large datasets are few. We report a PanCancer and PanSoftware analysis spanning 9,423 tumor exomes (comprising all 33 of The Cancer Genome Atlas projects) and using 26 computational tools to catalog driver genes and mutations. We identify 299 driver genes with implications regarding their anatomical sites and cancer/cell types. Sequence- and structure-based analyses identified >3,400 putative missense driver mutations supported by multiple lines of evidence. Experimental validation confirmed 60%-85% of predicted mutations as likely drivers. We found that >300 MSI tumors are associated with high PD-1/PD-L1, and 57% of tumors analyzed harbor putative clinically actionable events. Our study represents the most comprehensive discovery of cancer genes and mutations to date and will serve as a blueprint for future biological and clinical endeavors. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  19. 49 CFR 391.53 - Driver investigation history file.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Driver investigation history file. 391.53 Section... Driver investigation history file. (a) After October 29, 2004, each motor carrier must maintain records relating to the investigation into the safety performance history of a new or prospective driver pursuant...

  20. 49 CFR 391.53 - Driver investigation history file.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Driver investigation history file. 391.53 Section... Driver investigation history file. (a) After October 29, 2004, each motor carrier must maintain records relating to the investigation into the safety performance history of a new or prospective driver pursuant...

  1. 49 CFR 391.53 - Driver investigation history file.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 5 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Driver investigation history file. 391.53 Section... Driver investigation history file. (a) After October 29, 2004, each motor carrier must maintain records relating to the investigation into the safety performance history of a new or prospective driver pursuant...

  2. 49 CFR 391.53 - Driver investigation history file.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 5 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Driver investigation history file. 391.53 Section... Driver investigation history file. (a) After October 29, 2004, each motor carrier must maintain records relating to the investigation into the safety performance history of a new or prospective driver pursuant...

  3. 49 CFR 391.53 - Driver investigation history file.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 5 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Driver investigation history file. 391.53 Section... Driver investigation history file. (a) After October 29, 2004, each motor carrier must maintain records relating to the investigation into the safety performance history of a new or prospective driver pursuant...

  4. Modeling driver stop/run behavior at the onset of a yellow indication considering driver run tendency and roadway surface conditions.

    PubMed

    Elhenawy, Mohammed; Jahangiri, Arash; Rakha, Hesham A; El-Shawarby, Ihab

    2015-10-01

    The ability to model driver stop/run behavior at signalized intersections considering the roadway surface condition is critical in the design of advanced driver assistance systems. Such systems can reduce intersection crashes and fatalities by predicting driver stop/run behavior. The research presented in this paper uses data collected from two controlled field experiments on the Smart Road at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) to model driver stop/run behavior at the onset of a yellow indication for different roadway surface conditions. The paper offers two contributions. First, it introduces a new predictor related to driver aggressiveness and demonstrates that this measure enhances the modeling of driver stop/run behavior. Second, it applies well-known artificial intelligence techniques including: adaptive boosting (AdaBoost), random forest, and support vector machine (SVM) algorithms as well as traditional logistic regression techniques on the data in order to develop a model that can be used by traffic signal controllers to predict driver stop/run decisions in a connected vehicle environment. The research demonstrates that by adding the proposed driver aggressiveness predictor to the model, there is a statistically significant increase in the model accuracy. Moreover the false alarm rate is significantly reduced but this reduction is not statistically significant. The study demonstrates that, for the subject data, the SVM machine learning algorithm performs the best in terms of optimum classification accuracy and false positive rates. However, the SVM model produces the best performance in terms of the classification accuracy only. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Determinants and Drivers of Infectious Disease Threat Events in Europe.

    PubMed

    Semenza, Jan C; Lindgren, Elisabet; Balkanyi, Laszlo; Espinosa, Laura; Almqvist, My S; Penttinen, Pasi; Rocklöv, Joacim

    2016-04-01

    Infectious disease threat events (IDTEs) are increasing in frequency worldwide. We analyzed underlying drivers of 116 IDTEs detected in Europe during 2008-2013 by epidemic intelligence at the European Centre of Disease Prevention and Control. Seventeen drivers were identified and categorized into 3 groups: globalization and environment, sociodemographic, and public health systems. A combination of >2 drivers was responsible for most IDTEs. The driver category globalization and environment contributed to 61% of individual IDTEs, and the top 5 individual drivers of all IDTEs were travel and tourism, food and water quality, natural environment, global trade, and climate. Hierarchical cluster analysis of all drivers identified travel and tourism as a distinctly separate driver. Monitoring and modeling such disease drivers can help anticipate future IDTEs and strengthen control measures. More important, intervening directly on these underlying drivers can diminish the likelihood of the occurrence of an IDTE and reduce the associated human and economic costs.

  6. Determinants and Drivers of Infectious Disease Threat Events in Europe

    PubMed Central

    Lindgren, Elisabet; Balkanyi, Laszlo; Espinosa, Laura; Almqvist, My S.; Penttinen, Pasi; Rocklöv, Joacim

    2016-01-01

    Infectious disease threat events (IDTEs) are increasing in frequency worldwide. We analyzed underlying drivers of 116 IDTEs detected in Europe during 2008–2013 by epidemic intelligence at the European Centre of Disease Prevention and Control. Seventeen drivers were identified and categorized into 3 groups: globalization and environment, sociodemographic, and public health systems. A combination of >2 drivers was responsible for most IDTEs. The driver category globalization and environment contributed to 61% of individual IDTEs, and the top 5 individual drivers of all IDTEs were travel and tourism, food and water quality, natural environment, global trade, and climate. Hierarchical cluster analysis of all drivers identified travel and tourism as a distinctly separate driver. Monitoring and modeling such disease drivers can help anticipate future IDTEs and strengthen control measures. More important, intervening directly on these underlying drivers can diminish the likelihood of the occurrence of an IDTE and reduce the associated human and economic costs. PMID:26982104

  7. On the efficiency of driver state monitoring systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dementienko, V. V.; Dorokhov, V. B.; Gerus, S. V.; Markov, A. G.; Shakhnarovich, V. M.

    2007-06-01

    Statistical data on road traffic and the results of laboratory studies are used to construct a mathematical model of a driver-driver state monitor-automobile-traffic system. In terms of the model, the probability of an accident resulting from the drowsy state of the driver is determined both in the absence and presence of a monitor. The model takes into account the efficiency and safety level provided by different monitoring systems, as well as psychological factors associated with the excessive reliance of drivers upon monitoring.

  8. The driver, the road, the rules … and the rest? A systems-based approach to young driver road safety.

    PubMed

    Scott-Parker, B; Goode, N; Salmon, P

    2015-01-01

    The persistent overrepresentation of young drivers in road crashes is universally recognised. A multitude of factors influencing their behaviour and safety have been identified through methods including crash analyses, simulated and naturalistic driving studies, and self-report measures. Across the globe numerous, diverse, countermeasures have been implemented; the design of the vast majority of these has been informed by a driver-centric approach. An alternative approach gaining popularity in transport safety is the systems approach which considers not only the characteristics of the individual, but also the decisions and actions of other actors within the road transport system, along with the interactions amongst them. This paper argues that for substantial improvements to be made in young driver road safety, what has been learnt from driver-centric research needs to be integrated into a systems approach, thus providing a holistic appraisal of the young driver road safety problem. Only then will more effective opportunities and avenues for intervention be realised. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Causes, consequences and countermeasures to driver fatigue in the rail industry: The train driver perspective.

    PubMed

    Filtness, A J; Naweed, A

    2017-04-01

    Fatigue is an important workplace risk management issue. Within the rail industry, the passing of a stop signal (signal passed at danger; SPAD) is considered to be one of the most major safety breaches which can occur. Train drivers are very aware of the negative consequences associated with a SPAD. Therefore, SPADs provide a practical and applied safety relevant context within which to structure a discussion on fatigue. Focus groups discussing contributing factors to SPADs were undertaken at eight passenger rail organisations across Australia and New Zealand (n = 28 drivers). Data relating to fatigue was extracted and inductively analysed identifying three themes: causes, consequences, and countermeasures (to fatigue). Drivers experienced negative consequences of fatigue, despite existing countermeasures to mitigate it. Organisational culture was a barrier to effective fatigue management. A fatigue assessment tool consistently informed rostering, however, shift swapping was commonplace and often unregulated, reducing any potential positive impact. In discussing fatigue countermeasure strategies, drivers talked interchangeably about mitigating task related fatigue (e.g. increasing cognitive load) and sleepiness (e.g. caffeine). Ensuring the concepts of fatigue and sleepiness are properly understood has the potential to maximise safety. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Teenaged Drivers and Fatal Crash Responsibility. Preliminary Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williams, Allan F.; Karpf, Ronald S.

    According to data obtained for the year 1978 from the Fatal Accident Reporting System (FARS) and from state governments under contract to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, teenaged drivers (especially males) have much higher rates of fatal crash involvement than older drivers. In addition, teenaged drivers are more likely than…

  11. Survey of health and licensing policies for taxi drivers in Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia: a perspective from evidence on older drivers.

    PubMed

    Chan, M L; Gustafsson, L; Liddle, J

    2010-12-01

    With an ageing population, policy makers need to balance active ageing needs with older driver safety. In 2009, a survey of licensing policies for taxi drivers in Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia was undertaken for an evidence-based review of policies. Licensing requirements collected using semi-structured questionnaires were compared descriptively and with evidence from licensing policies on older drivers. All the regions used medical certifications with vision screening. The frequency of medical certification varied according to the renewal cycle and age. Medical guidelines on fitness to drive were available in Australia and Singapore. Legislation for self-reporting of medical conditions by drivers existed in Australia and Hong Kong. Legislation for reporting at-risk drivers by doctors was limited to two Australian states. There were differences in the minimum age and driving experience criteria, the use of practical training, written and English tests, age-based screening, mandatory retirement age, refresher courses, off- and on-road tests. Medical screening for at-risk drivers remains crucial. Age-based mandatory retirement policy at 73 years in Singapore is contrary to evidence-based practice. The lack of legislation for self-reporting of illness by drivers, the high minimum age criteria and therapy driving assessments for healthy taxi drivers are also unique to Singapore. There was stricter age-based relicensing from the age of 65 years in some Australian states and in Singapore. Continuing education for doctors, multi-tier screening for at-risk drivers and licensing policy changes are indicated.

  12. Driver behaviour with adaptive cruise control.

    PubMed

    Stanton, Neville A; Young, Mark S

    2005-08-15

    This paper reports on the evaluation of adaptive cruise control (ACC) from a psychological perspective. It was anticipated that ACC would have an effect upon the psychology of driving, i.e. make the driver feel like they have less control, reduce the level of trust in the vehicle, make drivers less situationally aware, but workload might be reduced and driving might be less stressful. Drivers were asked to drive in a driving simulator under manual and ACC conditions. Analysis of variance techniques were used to determine the effects of workload (i.e. amount of traffic) and feedback (i.e. degree of information from the ACC system) on the psychological variables measured (i.e. locus of control, trust, workload, stress, mental models and situation awareness). The results showed that: locus of control and trust were unaffected by ACC, whereas situation awareness, workload and stress were reduced by ACC. Ways of improving situation awareness could include cues to help the driver predict vehicle trajectory and identify conflicts.

  13. How to identify the key factors that affect driver perception of accident risk. A comparison between Italian and Spanish driver behavior.

    PubMed

    de Oña, Juan; de Oña, Rocio; Eboli, Laura; Forciniti, Carmen; Mazzulla, Gabriella

    2014-12-01

    Road crashes can be caused by different factors, including infrastructure, vehicles, and human variables. Many research studies have focused solely on identifying the key factors that cause road crashes. From these studies, it emerged that human factors have the most relevant impact on accident severity. More specifically, accident severity depends on several factors related directly to the driver, i.e., driving experience, driver's socio-economic characteristics, and driving behavior and attitudes. In this paper, we investigate driver behaviors and attitudes while driving and specifically focus on different methods for identifying the factors that most affect the driver's perception of accident risk. To this end, we designed and conducted a survey in two different European contexts: the city of Cosenza, which is located in the south of Italy, and the city of Granada, which is located in the south of Spain. Samples of drivers were contacted for their opinions on certain aspects of driving rules and attitudes while driving, and different types of questions were addressed to the drivers to assess their judgments of these aspects. Consequently, different methods of data analysis were applied to determine the aspects that heavily influence driver perception of accident risk. An experiment based on the stated preferences (SP) was carried out with the drivers, and the SP data were analyzed using an ordered probit (OP) model. Interesting findings emerged from different analyses of the data and from the comparisons among the data collected in the two different territorial contexts. We found that both Italian and Spanish drivers consider driving in an altered psychophysical state and violating the overtaking rules to be the most risky behaviors. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. HEARING IMPAIRMENT AND HYPERTENSION AMONG LONG DISTANCE BUS DRIVERS

    PubMed Central

    Abdelmoneim, Ismail

    2003-01-01

    Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of possible hearing impairment and hypertension in long distance bus drivers compared to the city bus drivers in Abha city. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving 62 long distance bus drivers and 46 city bus drivers from October 2001 to March 2002. A specially-designed questionnaire was administered to the drivers to explore some of their socioeconomic backgrounds. A pure tone air conduction audiometry and blood pressure measurements were performed. Results: Long distance bus drivers’ workload is significantly higher than that of city drivers (total weekly hours 64.0±14.3 compared to 46.7±5.5). Hearing impairment was significantly more among long distance drivers in the frequencies of 250, 500, 1000 and 2000 Hz especially in the left ear even after age corrections. The prevalence of mild hearing loss and hypertension were also higher among the long distance drivers (19.4% vs 4.5% and 38.7% vs 13% respectively). Conclusion and recommendations: This study showed more hearing affection and a higher prevalence of hypertension among long distance bus drivers than their counterparts operating in the city. Their hearing acuity should be tested before they start work and regularly afterwards. The stresses and strains of the job should be further studied and relieved; and regular health checks including blood pressure monitoring are to be instituted. PMID:23012034

  15. A learning-based autonomous driver: emulate human driver's intelligence in low-speed car following

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wei, Junqing; Dolan, John M.; Litkouhi, Bakhtiar

    2010-04-01

    In this paper, an offline learning mechanism based on the genetic algorithm is proposed for autonomous vehicles to emulate human driver behaviors. The autonomous driving ability is implemented based on a Prediction- and Cost function-Based algorithm (PCB). PCB is designed to emulate a human driver's decision process, which is modeled as traffic scenario prediction and evaluation. This paper focuses on using a learning algorithm to optimize PCB with very limited training data, so that PCB can have the ability to predict and evaluate traffic scenarios similarly to human drivers. 80 seconds of human driving data was collected in low-speed (< 30miles/h) car-following scenarios. In the low-speed car-following tests, PCB was able to perform more human-like carfollowing after learning. A more general 120 kilometer-long simulation showed that PCB performs robustly even in scenarios that are not part of the training set.

  16. "Man-ing" up and getting drunk: the role of masculine norms, alcohol intoxication and alcohol-related problems among college men.

    PubMed

    Iwamoto, Derek Kenji; Cheng, Alice; Lee, Christina S; Takamatsu, Stephanie; Gordon, Derrick

    2011-09-01

    Compared to college women, college men face elevated risks for problematic drinking and negative alcohol-related consequences. These risks highlight the critical need to investigate gender issues and risk factors contributing to intoxication and related problems among men. Theoretical models suggest that conforming to masculine norms or the beliefs and expectations of what it means to be a man, may help explain patterns of problematic drinking among men. The current study advances the literature by investigating the association between masculine norms, drinking to intoxication, and alcohol-related consequences among 776 undergraduate males after taking into account the importance of fraternity status and perceived peer norms. Results indicate that fraternity status and higher perceived peer norms regarding drinking increased the risks of getting drunk and experiencing alcohol-related consequences. Specifically, the masculine norms of being a "playboy", risk-taking, and winning were risk factors of drinking to intoxication; while, being a "playboy", risk-taking, and self-reliance increased the risks of alcohol-related problems. Primacy of work and heterosexual presentation were two masculine norms that were protective of drinking to intoxication. Our findings contribute to important future considerations for prevention, clinical interventions, and public-health implications in college settings. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. A driver-adaptive stability control strategy for sport utility vehicles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, Shenjin; He, Yuping

    2017-08-01

    Conventional vehicle stability control (VSC) systems are designed for average drivers. For a driver with a good driving skill, the VSC systems may be redundant; for a driver with a poor driving skill, the VSC intervention may be inadequate. To increase safety of sport utility vehicles (SUVs), this paper proposes a novel driver-adaptive VSC (DAVSC) strategy based on scaling the target yaw rate commanded by the driver. The DAVSC system is adaptive to drivers' driving skills. More control effort would be exerted for drivers with poor driving skills, and vice versa. A sliding mode control (SMC)-based differential braking (DB) controller is designed using a three degrees of freedom (DOF) yaw-plane model. An eight DOF nonlinear yaw-roll model is used to simulate the SUV dynamics. Two driver models, namely longitudinal and lateral, are used to 'drive' the virtual SUV. By integrating the virtual SUV, the DB controller, and the driver models, the performance of the DAVSC system is investigated. The simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of the DAVSC strategy.

  18. M-CASTL 2008 synthesis report : volume 2, teen driver safety.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2008-05-01

    Teen drivers have the highest crash rates of any age-group of drivers, with the possible : exception of the very oldest drivers. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of morbidity : and mortality among teens. Not only are teen drivers more like...

  19. Real-time driver fatigue detection based on face alignment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tao, Huanhuan; Zhang, Guiying; Zhao, Yong; Zhou, Yi

    2017-07-01

    The performance and robustness of fatigue detection largely decrease if the driver with glasses. To address this issue, this paper proposes a practical driver fatigue detection method based on face alignment at 3000 FPS algorithm. Firstly, the eye regions of the driver are localized by exploiting 6 landmarks surrounding each eye. Secondly, the HOG features of the extracted eye regions are calculated and put into SVM classifier to recognize the eye state. Finally, the value of PERCLOS is calculated to determine whether the driver is drowsy or not. An alarm will be generated if the eye is closed for a specified period of time. The accuracy and real-time on testing videos with different drivers demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is robust and obtain better accuracy for driver fatigue detection compared with some previous method.

  20. Views of US drivers about driving safety.

    PubMed

    Williams, Allan F

    2003-01-01

    To assess how drivers view dangers on the highway, what motivates them to drive safely, how they say they reduce their crash and injury risk, and how they rate their own driving skills. Most drivers rated their skills as better than average. The biggest motivating factor for safe driving was concern for safety of others in their vehicle, followed by negative outcomes such as being in a crash, increased insurance costs, and fines. The greatest threats to their safety were thought to be other drivers' actions that increase crash risk such as alcohol impairment or running red lights. In terms of reducing crashes and injuries, drivers tended to focus on actions they could take such as driving defensively or using seat belts. There was less recognition of the role of vehicles and vehicle features in crash or injury prevention. Knowing how drivers view themselves and others, their concerns, and their motivations and techniques for staying out of trouble on the roads provides insight into the difficulty of changing driving practices.