Research Professor Seoul National University Hospital, United States
Research Objectives: In this study, the risk of traffic accidents by drivers with disabilities was compared with the general population using the medical fitness test data.
Design: retrospective cohort study
Setting: the general community
Participants: Data from the medical fitness to drive test of drivers with disabilities and their traffic accidents were obtained between 2014 and 2020. Corresponding data on traffic accidents among drivers of the general population were obtained. A total of 3,000 traffic accidents occurred among 43,133 drivers with disabilities.
Interventions: This study is an observational study for seven years.
Main Outcome Measures: Age-standardized incidence rates were calculated using indirect standardization. Standardized incidence ratios (SIR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using the indirect method.
Results: The crude incidence rate of traffic accidents among drivers with disabilities was 69.6 cases per 1,000 people, and the age-standardized incidence rate was 62.4 cases per 1,000 people. The risk for traffic accidents among drivers with disabilities was nine times higher than that in the general population (SIR 9.0, 95% CI 8.7-9.3). In the subgroup analyses performed according to driving environment, drivers with disabilities had a higher risk of traffic accidents during the day than at night (daytime SIR 9.7), and had the highest risk on snowy days (snowy days SIR 10.2) compared with other weather conditions, including sunny, cloudy, or rainy days. In the subgroup analyses performed according to the type of disability, the physically disabled had the highest risk of traffic accidents (SIR 9.7, 95% CI 9.3-10.2), while the hearing impaired had the lowest risk (SIR 5.8, 95% CI 4.8-6.9).
Conclusions: The risk of traffic accidents among drivers with disabilities was significantly higher than that in drivers of the general population and was influenced by various factor, such as driving environment, type of disability, and age.
Author(s) Disclosures: This study was supported by a grant from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) Research Fund (07-2022-5030) and the Korean National Police Agency (PR09-02-000-22).
Learning Objectives:
Upon completion, the participants will be able to know the risk of traffic accidents among drivers with disabilities compared with drivers of the general population.
Upon completion, participants can know which type of disability affects the risk of traffic accidents among drivers with disabilities more.
Upon completion, participants can know which demographic factors further affect the risk of traffic accidents among drivers with disabilities.
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