earticle

영어

Objectives: Among the alcohol’s harm, drunk driving is identified as the most critical issue from a public health perspective. Drunk driving accidents are preventable and can result in injuries or fatalities not only for the driver but also for others. The incidence of drunk driving is most prominent in the age groups of 30s, 50s, 40s, reflecting the influence of normative beliefs and diverse life environments associated with each age cohort. In response, this study aims to identify lifecycle-specific factors influencing drunk driving and provide foundational data to decrease the incidence of such incidents. Methods: Using raw data from the 8th Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency(2018-2021), the analysis focused on a weighted sample of 24,966,369 adults aged 19 and above, eligible for alcohol consumption in Korea. The dependent variable is the occurrence of drunk driving, while the independent variables include sociodemographic characteristics (sex, age, household income, education level, occupation, marital status), alcohol-related factors (age of drinking initiation, frequency of drinking, frequency of binge drinking), and safety consciousness factors (frequency of riding in vehicles with drunk drivers and seatbelt usage in accompanying vehicles). Results: The study findings reveal a higher prevalence of drunk driving experiences among middle-aged, elderly, and young adults, the frequency of rides in other drunk driving vehicles correlating across all age groups. Notably, associations were found between drunk driving and factors such as seatbelt usage in accompanying vehicles, age at which alcohol consumption commenced, and marital status, with significant relationships observed among middle-aged and older individuals. Additionally, binge drinking frequency showed a meaningful correlation with the middle-aged population. Conclusions: Consequently, Recommendations include proposing tailored programs for safety awareness through traffic safety education, utilizing community-based public health and medical institutions. Suggestions for developing personalized education and correctional programs, considering lifecycle-specific characteristics, were offered to enhance safety consciousness and mitigate the prevalence of drunk driving.