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

AimsTo assess the impact of demographic, intrapersonal and environmental factors on the likelihood in Chile of becoming a passenger of an alcohol-impaired driver (PAID). DesignMulti-level cross-sectional study. SettingData were acquired from two large-scale household surveys of representative samples of Chile's Metropolitan Region. ParticipantsThe study included 1341 individuals 16years; 696 of them reported engaging in PAID. MeasurementThe primary outcome was self-reported frequencies of having accepted a ride with an alcohol-impaired driver. FindingsPAID 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). ConclusionsIn 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.