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Principal Investigator: Eduardo RomanoSponsor: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) (3/1/2002 - 2/28/2005) Proposal Abstract
Concern about the overrepresentation of some racial/ethnic groups in the U.S. in motor vehicle fatalities has put pressure on Federal and state agencies to develop and implement safety programs tailored to the special needs of minority populations. To be effective, however, these programs must be based on sound knowledge of the level of risk incurred by different groups and the reasons for their overinvolvement in crashes. Currently, such comprehensive and in-depth knowledge does not exist.
The purpose of the proposed research is to conduct a secondary analysis of a uniquely available data set -- the FARS, a large national fatal crash database with recently added information on the race/ethnicity of fatalities -- coupled with other data sources to examine the role of race/ethnicity in alcohol-, safety-belt-non-use-, and aggressive-driving-related motor vehicle crash (MVC) fatalities. Study 1 of the research will incorporate information previously not included in studies of race/ethnicity that contribute to group heterogeneity. Groups at risk will be identified for the nation as well as for each of the four most populated and ethnically diverse states (California, New York, Texas and Florida). Once the identification of specific ethnic/age/gender groups at risk is completed, Study 2 will link data from a national survey on drinking and driving to investigate differences in attitudes and perceptions related to impaired driving across the at risk groups identified in Study 1.
Thus, Study 1 will indicated those groups at greatest risk for crash involvement and death while Study 2 will provide information about what personal risk factors for drinking and driving should be targeted for change by interventions to reduce the likelihood of drunk driving and alcohol-related MVC fatalities among at-risk groups. The results from the project will be useful to policymakers and program managers and will inform the design and delivery of traffic safety interventions tailored to minority populations.
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