This page has only limited features, please log in for full access.

Dr. Francisco Alonso
University of Valencia

Basic Info


Research Keywords & Expertise

0 Behavioral Health
0 Road Safety
0 Transportation
0 drivers
0 Risk Perception

Fingerprints

Road Safety
drivers
Risk Perception
Transportation
Behavioral Health

Honors and Awards

The user has no records in this section


Career Timeline

The user has no records in this section.


Short Biography

The user biography is not available.
Following
Followers
Co Authors
The list of users this user is following is empty.
Following: 0 users

Feed

Journal article
Published: 07 August 2021 in Psychology Research and Behavior Management
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Recent evidence consistently highlights the adverse work environment of long-haul professional drivers, whose task structure typically involves the performance of extensive shifts, driving under stressful working conditions. In this regard, job stress and fatigue – that are highly prevalent in this workforce – seem to play a crucial role in explaining this group’s negative traffic safety outcomes. The aim of this study was to assess whether work-related fatigue is a mechanism that mediates the relationship between job stress, health indicators and occupational traffic crashes of long-haul truck drivers (LHTD). The data used in this study were collected from 521 Spanish long-haul truck drivers (97% males) from all 17 regions of Spain, with a mean age of 47 years. Utilizing structural equation models (SEM), it was found that work-traffic crashes of long-haul truck drivers could be explained through work-related fatigue that exerts a full mediation between job stress (job strain), health-related factors and traffic crashes suffered during the previous two years. Overall, the findings of this research support that a) stressful working conditions and health issues of drivers have significant effects on traffic crashes, and b) fatigue is a mechanism relating stress-related factors and work-traffic crashes of long-haul drivers. This study highlights the need of stress- and fatigue-management policies and interventions, in order to reduce the crash risk of long-haul truck drivers.

ACS Style

Sergio A Useche; Francisco Alonso; Boris Cendales; Javier Llamazares. More Than Just “Stressful”? Testing the Mediating Role of Fatigue on the Relationship Between Job Stress and Occupational Crashes of Long-Haul Truck Drivers. Psychology Research and Behavior Management 2021, 14, 1211 -1221.

AMA Style

Sergio A Useche, Francisco Alonso, Boris Cendales, Javier Llamazares. More Than Just “Stressful”? Testing the Mediating Role of Fatigue on the Relationship Between Job Stress and Occupational Crashes of Long-Haul Truck Drivers. Psychology Research and Behavior Management. 2021; 14 ():1211-1221.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sergio A Useche; Francisco Alonso; Boris Cendales; Javier Llamazares. 2021. "More Than Just “Stressful”? Testing the Mediating Role of Fatigue on the Relationship Between Job Stress and Occupational Crashes of Long-Haul Truck Drivers." Psychology Research and Behavior Management 14, no. : 1211-1221.

Journal article
Published: 19 May 2021 in Electronics
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Technological devices are becoming more and more integrated in the management and control of traffic in big cities. The population perceives the benefits provided by these systems, and, therefore, citizens usually have a favorable opinion of them. However, emerging countries, which have fewer available infrastructures, could present a certain lack of trust. The objective of this work is to detect the level of knowledge and predisposition towards the use of new technologies in the transportation field of the Dominican Republic. For this study, the National Survey on Mobility was administered to a sample of Dominican citizens, proportional to the ONE census and to sex, age and province. The knowledge of ITS topics, as well as the use of mobile applications for mobility, are scarce; however, there was a significant increase that can be observed in only one year. Moreover, technology is, in general, positively assessed for what concerns the improvement of the traffic field, even though there is a lack of predisposition to provide one’s personal data, which is necessary for these devices. The process of technological development in the country must be backed up by laws that protect the citizens’ privacy. Thus, technologies that can improve road safety, mobility and sustainability can be implemented in the country.

ACS Style

Francisco Alonso; Mireia Faus; Cristina Esteban; Sergio Useche. Is There a Predisposition towards the Use of New Technologies within the Traffic Field of Emerging Countries? The Case of the Dominican Republic. Electronics 2021, 10, 1208 .

AMA Style

Francisco Alonso, Mireia Faus, Cristina Esteban, Sergio Useche. Is There a Predisposition towards the Use of New Technologies within the Traffic Field of Emerging Countries? The Case of the Dominican Republic. Electronics. 2021; 10 (10):1208.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Francisco Alonso; Mireia Faus; Cristina Esteban; Sergio Useche. 2021. "Is There a Predisposition towards the Use of New Technologies within the Traffic Field of Emerging Countries? The Case of the Dominican Republic." Electronics 10, no. 10: 1208.

Journal article
Published: 21 April 2021 in Computers
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Most countries have active road safety policies that seek the objective of reducing deaths in traffic accidents. One of the main factors in this regard is the awareness of the safety measures, one of the most important being the correct usage of the seat belt, a device that is known to save thousands of lives every year. The presented work shows a VR-enhanced edutainment application designed to increase awareness on the use of seat belts. For this goal, a motorized rollover system was developed that, synchronized with a VR application (shown in a head-mounted display for each user inside a real car), rolls over this car with up to four passengers inside. This way, users feel the sensations of a real overturn and therefore they realize the consequences and the results of not wearing a seat belt. The system was tested for a month in the context of a road safety exhibition in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, one of the leading countries in car accidents per capita. More than 500 users tested and assessed the usefulness of the system. We measured, before and after the rollover experience, the perception of risk of not using the seat belt. Results show that awareness regarding the use of seat belts increases very significantly after using the presented edutainment tool.

ACS Style

José Riera; Sergio Casas; Francisco Alonso; Marcos Fernández. A VR-Enhanced Rollover Car Simulator and Edutainment Application for Increasing Seat Belt Use Awareness. Computers 2021, 10, 55 .

AMA Style

José Riera, Sergio Casas, Francisco Alonso, Marcos Fernández. A VR-Enhanced Rollover Car Simulator and Edutainment Application for Increasing Seat Belt Use Awareness. Computers. 2021; 10 (5):55.

Chicago/Turabian Style

José Riera; Sergio Casas; Francisco Alonso; Marcos Fernández. 2021. "A VR-Enhanced Rollover Car Simulator and Edutainment Application for Increasing Seat Belt Use Awareness." Computers 10, no. 5: 55.

Journal article
Published: 31 March 2021 in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Recent evidence suggests that driving behavior and traffic safety outcomes of parents may be influenced by the extent to which they receive information and education on road safety, as well as the fact of driving with their children on board, which may increase their risk perception. However, there are no studies specifically addressing the case of crashes suffered while driving with children. Hence, this study aimed to describe the relationship between road safety education-related variables and parents’ traffic safety outcomes while driving with children on board. For this cross-sectional study, data was retrieved from a sample composed of 165 Spanish parents—all of them licensed drivers—with a mean age of 45.3 years. Through binary logistic regression (logit) analysis, it was found that factors such as gender, having received road safety education (RSE), and having been sanctioned for the performance of risky driving behavior contribute to modulating the likelihood of suffering crashes while driving with children on board. Gender differences showed a riskier status for male parents. In this study, a set of risk factors explaining the involvement in traffic crashes when driving with children as passengers was identified among parents: gender, traffic sanctions, valuation, and exposure to road safety campaigns. Also, substantial limitations in the self-reported degree of received RSE were found, especially considering that risky driving behavior and traffic crash rates with children on board still have a high prevalence among parents.

ACS Style

Francisco Alonso; Sergio Useche; Eliseo Valle; Cristina Esteban; Javier Gene-Morales. Could Road Safety Education (RSE) Help Parents Protect Children? Examining Their Driving Crashes with Children on Board. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2021, 18, 3611 .

AMA Style

Francisco Alonso, Sergio Useche, Eliseo Valle, Cristina Esteban, Javier Gene-Morales. Could Road Safety Education (RSE) Help Parents Protect Children? Examining Their Driving Crashes with Children on Board. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18 (7):3611.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Francisco Alonso; Sergio Useche; Eliseo Valle; Cristina Esteban; Javier Gene-Morales. 2021. "Could Road Safety Education (RSE) Help Parents Protect Children? Examining Their Driving Crashes with Children on Board." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 7: 3611.

Journal article
Published: 20 January 2021 in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Reads 0
Downloads 0

The social determinants of health influence both psychosocial risks and protective factors, especially in high-demanding contexts, such as the mobility of drivers and non-drivers. Recent evidence suggests that exploring socioeconomic status (SES), health and lifestyle-related factors might contribute to a better understanding of road traffic crashes (RTCs). Thus, the aim of this study was to construct indices for the assessment of crash rates and mobility patterns among young Colombians who live in the central region of the country. The specific objectives were developing SES, health and lifestyle indices, and assessing the self-reported RTCs and mobility features depending on these indices. A sample of 561 subjects participated in this cross-sectional study. Through a reduction approach of Principal Component Analysis (PCA), three indices were constructed. Mean and frequency differences were contrasted for the self-reported mobility, crash rates, age, and gender. As a result, SES, health and lifestyle indices explained between 56.3–67.9% of the total variance. Drivers and pedestrians who suffered crashes had higher SES. A healthier lifestyle is associated with cycling, but also with suffering more bike crashes; drivers and those reporting traffic crashes have shown greater psychosocial and lifestyle-related risk factors. Regarding gender differences, men are more likely to engage in road activities, as well as to suffer more RTCs. On the other hand, women present lower healthy lifestyle-related indices and a less active implication in mobility. Protective factors such as a high SES and a healthier lifestyle are associated with RTCs suffered by young Colombian road users. Given the differences found in this regard, a gender perspective for understanding RTCs and mobility is highly suggestible, considering that socio-economic gaps seem to differentially affect mobility and crash-related patterns.

ACS Style

Andrea Serge; Johana Quiroz Montoya; Francisco Alonso; Luis Montoro. Socioeconomic Status, Health and Lifestyle Settings as Psychosocial Risk Factors for Road Crashes in Young People: Assessing the Colombian Case. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2021, 18, 886 .

AMA Style

Andrea Serge, Johana Quiroz Montoya, Francisco Alonso, Luis Montoro. Socioeconomic Status, Health and Lifestyle Settings as Psychosocial Risk Factors for Road Crashes in Young People: Assessing the Colombian Case. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18 (3):886.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Andrea Serge; Johana Quiroz Montoya; Francisco Alonso; Luis Montoro. 2021. "Socioeconomic Status, Health and Lifestyle Settings as Psychosocial Risk Factors for Road Crashes in Young People: Assessing the Colombian Case." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 3: 886.

Journal article
Published: 01 December 2020 in Accident Analysis & Prevention
Reads 0
Downloads 0

As part of the transformation of urban transportation dynamics, commuter cycling has acquired a high relevance as an alternative mode of transport in different countries, and Latin America seems to be one of the main focus of this worldwide “revolution”. However, the high rates of crashes and injuries suffered by commuters have become a relevant issue in the field of road safety, especially in emerging regions with low cycling tradition, where social and infrastructural gaps may endanger the cyclists’ safety. This study had two objectives. First, to compare key safe cycling-related variables between cycling commuters and non-commuters; and second, to differentially asses the effect of individual and cycling-related variables on their self-reported crash rates. Method: For this cross-sectional research, the data provided by 577 Latin American urban cyclists from three countries (Argentina, Colombia and Mexico) with a mean age of 32.7 years was used. They answered a questionnaire on cycling habits, risk perception, rule knowledge, cycling behaviors and riding crashes. The outcomes of this study showed that, despite having a higher risk perception, cycling commuters perform deliberate risky cycling behaviors (traffic violations) more frequently, and they suffer more crashes; cycling commuters report higher rates of psychological distress, and a lower degree of rule knowledge and protective behaviors than non-commuters. Furthermore, structural similarities and differences in the explanation of cycling crashes were found across commuters and non-commuters. The results of this study suggest that non-commuters, whose purposes for cycling are more aimed at leisure and occasional trips, perform less risky behaviors but suffer more cycling distractions, whereas commuters are comparatively more exposed to behavioral-based safety risks, and suffer more frequent crashes. Since recent evidence forecasts that urban cycling will keep growing in Latin American cities, it is necessary to implement policies and educational/training improvements that may enhance the safety and health of cyclists in these countries.

ACS Style

Sergio A. Useche; Cristina Esteban; Francisco Alonso; Luis Montoro. Are Latin American cycling commuters “at risk”? A comparative study on cycling patterns, behaviors, and crashes with non-commuter cyclists. Accident Analysis & Prevention 2020, 150, 105915 .

AMA Style

Sergio A. Useche, Cristina Esteban, Francisco Alonso, Luis Montoro. Are Latin American cycling commuters “at risk”? A comparative study on cycling patterns, behaviors, and crashes with non-commuter cyclists. Accident Analysis & Prevention. 2020; 150 ():105915.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sergio A. Useche; Cristina Esteban; Francisco Alonso; Luis Montoro. 2020. "Are Latin American cycling commuters “at risk”? A comparative study on cycling patterns, behaviors, and crashes with non-commuter cyclists." Accident Analysis & Prevention 150, no. : 105915.

Original research article
Published: 02 September 2020 in Frontiers in Sustainable Cities
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Introduction: Traditionally, the scientific literature on urban and transportation dynamics addresses many topics, but the security-related outcomes of users remain a pending issue, especially in emerging countries and their cities. Nevertheless, recent evidence suggests that, especially in developing countries, security issues may influence people's decision-making in the choice of transport means, daily urban-trip patterns and road behaviors of users. Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between the perceived security (in both urban environments and public transport systems) and the daily-travel behavior and trip patterns of the Dominican Republic population. Methods: This cross-sectional study, performed in 2019, analyzed data collected from 1,026 inhabitants from different cities of the Dominican Republic (54% females and 46% males), who completed a survey on security issues, travel behaviors and transportation-related habits. Results: The results of this research suggest that demographic factors, such as age, education, and city/town size, and the safety perceived in the urban environment play a significant role in the choice of transportation modes, as well as in the participants' experience as victims of crime-related incidents (either witnessing or suffering crime episodes on public transport or city streets) during urban trips performed over the last 5 years. Conclusion: Overall, the results of this study suggest that perceived safety, in both urban environments and public transport systems, is a relevant issue affecting the daily transport-related patterns and behavioral choices of the Dominican Republic's population. The results of this research might contribute to the strengthening of transport security planning, considering factors that are not traditionally kept in mind for policymaking in transportation dynamics.

ACS Style

Francisco Alonso; Sergio Useche; Mireia Faus; Cristina Esteban. Does Urban Security Modulate Transportation Choices and Travel Behavior of Citizens? A National Study in the Dominican Republic. Frontiers in Sustainable Cities 2020, 2, 1 .

AMA Style

Francisco Alonso, Sergio Useche, Mireia Faus, Cristina Esteban. Does Urban Security Modulate Transportation Choices and Travel Behavior of Citizens? A National Study in the Dominican Republic. Frontiers in Sustainable Cities. 2020; 2 ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Francisco Alonso; Sergio Useche; Mireia Faus; Cristina Esteban. 2020. "Does Urban Security Modulate Transportation Choices and Travel Behavior of Citizens? A National Study in the Dominican Republic." Frontiers in Sustainable Cities 2, no. : 1.

Journal article
Published: 14 July 2020 in Journal of Transport & Health
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Although daily walking implies several potential benefits for the health and well-being of people, and, besides the raise of more “walkable” cities, it is currently being promoted as an active transportation means that is rich in benefits for its users, road risks affecting pedestrians, together with their high vulnerability to suffer severe injuries as a consequence of traffic crashes, have turned into a relevant concern for both policymakers and public health practitioners. In this regard, risky and positive (proactively safe) behaviors have acquired a substantial relevance for the study and prevention of traffic causalities involving different road users, including pedestrians. The objective of this study was to thoroughly describe the validation of an instrument for measuring the walking risky and positive behavior on the road, using the Walking Behavior Questionnaire (WBQ). This cross-sectional study analyzed the data from 1070 Spanish pedestrians answering a questionnaire on road behaviors. The data were analyzed using the competitive Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), thus obtaining basic psychometric properties, testing convergent validity and predictive value, and presenting an optimized structure for the scale. The obtained findings suggest that the WBQ has a clear dimensional structure, items with high factorial weight, good internal consistency and reliability and an adequate convergent validity with variables theoretically associated with road behaviors. The results of this study endorse the psychometric value of the WBQ for measuring errors, violations and positive behaviors of pedestrians. This questionnaire might have relevant applications in the practical field, since, apart from having good psychometric properties, it introduces items related to social and technological trends (e.g., the use of cellphones) that may compromise pedestrians’ safety. This can be particularly useful for designing behavioral-based interventions and educational programs, focused on road risk reduction and on the promotion of safe walking behavior.

ACS Style

Sergio A. Useche; Francisco Alonso; Luis Montoro. Validation of the Walking Behavior Questionnaire (WBQ): A tool for measuring risky and safe walking under a behavioral perspective. Journal of Transport & Health 2020, 18, 100899 .

AMA Style

Sergio A. Useche, Francisco Alonso, Luis Montoro. Validation of the Walking Behavior Questionnaire (WBQ): A tool for measuring risky and safe walking under a behavioral perspective. Journal of Transport & Health. 2020; 18 ():100899.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sergio A. Useche; Francisco Alonso; Luis Montoro. 2020. "Validation of the Walking Behavior Questionnaire (WBQ): A tool for measuring risky and safe walking under a behavioral perspective." Journal of Transport & Health 18, no. : 100899.

Journal article
Published: 01 July 2020 in Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Different empirical studies suggest that both job strain and driving styles are significant contributors to the work-related traffic crashes suffered by professional drivers. Nevertheless, the current evidence falls considerably short when explaining why driving styles may modify (or not) the relationship between occupational stressors and professional drivers’ safety outcomes. The aim of this study was to examine whether driving styles moderate the effect of job strain on professional drivers’ Work Traffic Crashes (WTCs). This research was performed using the data collected from a sample of 753 professional drivers, responding to a self-report questionnaire on job strain (work stress indicator of the Job Demand-Control model), driving styles and work-traffic safety outcomes suffered in the past two years. Regression-based moderation analyses suggest that the job strain of professional drivers is positively associated with the occupational traffic crashes they suffer, and that such association is stronger in drivers with “reckless & careless”, “anxious”, and “angry & hostile” driving styles. Meanwhile, the “patient & careful” (positive) driving style was not associated with a lower risk of suffering a WTC, nor with a lower vulnerability to stress-related WTCs. The results of this study support the hypothesis that driving styles exert a statistical moderation between the job strain and the occupational traffic crashes suffered by professional drivers. These findings may support the design of evidence-based interventions in both the organizational and individual levels, focused stress-related factors and driving styles as predictors of work traffic crashes.

ACS Style

Sergio A. Useche; Boris Cendales; Francisco Alonso; Mauricio Orozco-Fontalvo. A matter of style? Testing the moderating effect of driving styles on the relationship between job strain and work-related crashes of professional drivers. Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour 2020, 72, 307 -317.

AMA Style

Sergio A. Useche, Boris Cendales, Francisco Alonso, Mauricio Orozco-Fontalvo. A matter of style? Testing the moderating effect of driving styles on the relationship between job strain and work-related crashes of professional drivers. Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour. 2020; 72 ():307-317.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sergio A. Useche; Boris Cendales; Francisco Alonso; Mauricio Orozco-Fontalvo. 2020. "A matter of style? Testing the moderating effect of driving styles on the relationship between job strain and work-related crashes of professional drivers." Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour 72, no. : 307-317.

Articles
Published: 10 April 2020 in International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics
Reads 0
Downloads 0

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of different environmental, mechanical and individual factors associated with fatalities and serious injuries caused by work traffic accidents among cargo and passenger transport drivers (CPTD) in Spain. For this cross-sectional study, national data on work traffic accidents collected in Spain during the last 3 years were analyzed through a regression modeling approach, in order to predict the severity of traffic crashes involving CPTD. Using binary logistic regression analyses, it was found that the type of road and accident, the meteorological, light and vehicle conditions, individual characteristics and risky driving behaviors significantly predict the risk of fatal work traffic accidents and serious injuries. These findings highlight the importance of combining organizational efforts with national road safety policies in order to generate a traffic safety culture among CPTD.

ACS Style

Sergio A. Useche; Boris Cendales; Francisco Alonso; Luis Montoro. Multidimensional prediction of work traffic crashes among Spanish professional drivers in cargo and passenger transportation. International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics 2020, 1 -8.

AMA Style

Sergio A. Useche, Boris Cendales, Francisco Alonso, Luis Montoro. Multidimensional prediction of work traffic crashes among Spanish professional drivers in cargo and passenger transportation. International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics. 2020; ():1-8.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sergio A. Useche; Boris Cendales; Francisco Alonso; Luis Montoro. 2020. "Multidimensional prediction of work traffic crashes among Spanish professional drivers in cargo and passenger transportation." International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics , no. : 1-8.

Journal article
Published: 03 February 2020 in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Background: Education in road safety (also known as Road Safety Education—RSE) constitutes, nowadays, an emergent approach for improving present and future road behaviors, aiming at taking action against the current, and concerning, state-of-affairs of traffic crashes, through a behavioral perspective. In the case of children, and despite their overrepresentation in traffic injury figures, RSE-based strategies for behavioral health in transportation remain a “new” approach, whose impact still needs to be empirically tested. Objective: The aim of this study is to assess the impact of three key road safety skills of the Positive Attitudes, Risk perception and Knowledge of norms (PARK) model, addressed in RSE-based interventions, on the safe road behavior of Spanish children. Methods: For this cross-sectional study, a representative sample of 1930 (50.4% males and 49.6% females) Spanish children attending primary school, with a mean age of 10.1 (SD = 1.6) years, was gathered from 70 educational centers across all Spanish regions, through a national study on RSE and road safety. Results: Road safety skills show a positive relationship with children’s self-reported safe behaviors on the road. However, the knowledge of traffic norms alone does not predict safe behaviors: it needs to be combined with risk perception and positive attitudes towards road safety. Furthermore, the degree of exposure to previous RSE interventions was shown to have an effect on the score obtained by children in each road safety skill; on the other hand, road misbehaviors observed in parents and peers had a negative impact on them. Conclusion: The outcomes of this study suggest that education in road safety is still a key process for the acquisition of safe habits, patterns and behaviors among young road users.

ACS Style

Francisco Alonso; Adela Gonzalez-Marin; Cristina Esteban; Sergio A. Useche. Behavioral Health at School: Do Three Competences in Road Safety Education Impact the Protective Road Behaviors of Spanish Children? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2020, 17, 935 .

AMA Style

Francisco Alonso, Adela Gonzalez-Marin, Cristina Esteban, Sergio A. Useche. Behavioral Health at School: Do Three Competences in Road Safety Education Impact the Protective Road Behaviors of Spanish Children? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020; 17 (3):935.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Francisco Alonso; Adela Gonzalez-Marin; Cristina Esteban; Sergio A. Useche. 2020. "Behavioral Health at School: Do Three Competences in Road Safety Education Impact the Protective Road Behaviors of Spanish Children?" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, no. 3: 935.

Research article
Published: 13 January 2020 in PLOS ONE
Reads 0
Downloads 0

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationships among the following elements: unhealthy work indicators (job stress and emotional exhaustion at work), the decision to drive (or not), and driving crashes suffered by Spanish workers. For this cross-sectional study, a full sample of 1,200 Spanish drivers (44% women and 56% men) was used, their mean age being 42.8 years. They answered a questionnaire divided into three sections: demographic and driving-related data; burnout, job stress, and life stress; and self-reported road behaviors and driving safety indicators. Overall, 41.6% of drivers reported emotional exhaustion at work. Furthermore, 80.2% of the participants showing substantial signs of job stress or exhaustion had experienced one or more important stressful life events during the previous year. Job stress was associated with the number of driving crashes suffered along the last 3 years. Also, and especially in situations where drivers admit not feeling well enough to drive, job stress and emotional exhaustion seem to be independent from the decision to drive, and from perceiving these variables as potential impairers of driving performance. First of all, this study showed a high prevalence of job stress and emotional exhaustion symptoms experienced at work by Spanish workers. Moreover, significant relationships were found among self-rated driving performance, workplace stress and burnout indicators, which suggests that job stress and emotional exhaustion levels may, indeed, impair driving performance, but they do not influence the decision to drive or not. In other words, even when they are significantly affected by job stress or emotional exhaustion at work, most Spanish drivers still drive.

ACS Style

Francisco Alonso; Cristina Esteban; Adela Gonzalez-Marin; Elisa Alfaro; Sergio A. Useche. Job stress and emotional exhaustion at work in Spanish workers: Does unhealthy work affect the decision to drive? PLOS ONE 2020, 15, e0227328 .

AMA Style

Francisco Alonso, Cristina Esteban, Adela Gonzalez-Marin, Elisa Alfaro, Sergio A. Useche. Job stress and emotional exhaustion at work in Spanish workers: Does unhealthy work affect the decision to drive? PLOS ONE. 2020; 15 (1):e0227328.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Francisco Alonso; Cristina Esteban; Adela Gonzalez-Marin; Elisa Alfaro; Sergio A. Useche. 2020. "Job stress and emotional exhaustion at work in Spanish workers: Does unhealthy work affect the decision to drive?" PLOS ONE 15, no. 1: e0227328.

Public health
Published: 25 November 2019 in BMJ Open
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Objective This study had two objectives: first, to test the effects of sociodemographic variables, and the effects of three key road safety skills (knowledge–risk perception–attitudes) on the use of passive safety elements (PSEs) among teenagers; and second, to assess the differential impact of the study variables on PSEs use from a gender-based perspective. Setting and participants This cross-sectional study was framed in the paradigm of primary care, and it involved students from several educational centres in Spain. A sample of 827 Spanish teenagers (52.4% females and 47.6% males) with a mean age of M=14.41–7 (12–19) years was used. Results Through SEM modelling, we found that the use of PSEs is largely explained by psychosocial variables through the mediation of three road safety skills: risk perception (β=0.103***), rule knowledge (β=0.095*) and attitudes towards road safety (β=0.186***). Furthermore, multigroup analyses showed that, although most variables explain the use of PSEs among teenagers in a similar way, key gender-based differences exist in this regard. Conclusions Road safety skills have a significant effect on the use of PSEs among Spanish teenagers, and gender explains some differences in the mechanisms which predict them. Also, in the study we discuss the need for strengthening school-based interventions aimed at helping this vulnerable group of road users acquire and develop positive behavioural competences.

ACS Style

Sergio Useche; Francisco Alonso; Luis Montoro; Leandro Garrigós. More aware, more protected: a cross-sectional study on road safety skills predicting the use of passive safety elements among Spanish teenagers. BMJ Open 2019, 9, e035007 .

AMA Style

Sergio Useche, Francisco Alonso, Luis Montoro, Leandro Garrigós. More aware, more protected: a cross-sectional study on road safety skills predicting the use of passive safety elements among Spanish teenagers. BMJ Open. 2019; 9 (11):e035007.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sergio Useche; Francisco Alonso; Luis Montoro; Leandro Garrigós. 2019. "More aware, more protected: a cross-sectional study on road safety skills predicting the use of passive safety elements among Spanish teenagers." BMJ Open 9, no. 11: e035007.

Journal article
Published: 06 November 2019 in Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour
Reads 0
Downloads 0

The Multidimensional Driving Style Inventory or MDSI constitutes, perhaps, the most relevant tool for measuring driving styles. Since its releasing in 2004, it has been applied worldwide to different samples of drivers, showing an important value and utility for road safety. However, empirical studies using the MDSI on professional drivers are scarce and, to the date, there is no validated version of the instrument in this workforce yet. Objectives: This study had two aims. First, to describe in detail the validation of the Taubman-Ben-Ari’s MDSI among professional drivers and, second, to test its convergent validity with other key relevant factors present in the work environment of this particular population: driving anger, job strain and occupational driving crashes. Method: The data used for this validation was gathered from a representative sample of 752 Colombian professional drivers and analyzed by means of competitive Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFAs), assessing psychometric properties and obtaining an optimized structure for the instrument applied to active transportation workers. Results: The outcomes of this study suggest a clear factorial structure, adequate model fit, factorial weights, reliability and internal consistency, keeping the re-evaluated four-factor structure of the questionnaire: Reckless & Careless (F1); Anxious (F2); Angry & Hostile (F3); and Patient & Careful (F4). Conclusion: This applied research supports the hypothesis that the validated version of MDSI in professional drivers, together with further measures applied to other work environment factors, may play a relevant role in the improvement of driving safety and injury prevention for this vulnerable workforce from the perspective of occupational research in transportation.

ACS Style

Sergio A. Useche; Boris Cendales; Francisco Alonso; Juan C. Pastor; Luis Montoro. Validation of the Multidimensional Driving Style Inventory (MDSI) in professional drivers: How does it work in transportation workers? Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour 2019, 67, 155 -163.

AMA Style

Sergio A. Useche, Boris Cendales, Francisco Alonso, Juan C. Pastor, Luis Montoro. Validation of the Multidimensional Driving Style Inventory (MDSI) in professional drivers: How does it work in transportation workers? Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour. 2019; 67 ():155-163.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sergio A. Useche; Boris Cendales; Francisco Alonso; Juan C. Pastor; Luis Montoro. 2019. "Validation of the Multidimensional Driving Style Inventory (MDSI) in professional drivers: How does it work in transportation workers?" Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour 67, no. : 155-163.

Journal article
Published: 24 October 2019 in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Social and health problems imply an impact on society. The main objective of this study is to provide an overview of how Spanish people perceive cancer, terrorism, cardiovascular diseases, crime, AIDS, drugs, and traffic accidents, finding out whether they assess the importance of these issues in correspondence with their actual severity. The study used a full sample of 1206 Spaniards (51.6% females and 48.4% males) who responded to a computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) survey on the significance of these social and health-related problems, assessed through a zero to ten Likert scale. The perceived severity of the problems was considered taking into account the official data of deaths reported by governmental institutions. For the comparison of mean values, the One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test was used. Results show high average values for all the problems. The most concerning elements are cancer (M = 9.28 ± 1.24) and terrorism (M = 9.22 ± 1.47). Cardiovascular diseases have the lowest scores (M = 8.29 ± 1.64). There is a good adjustment between real and subjective perception, but some issues are either underestimated or overestimated. Women assessed all of them as more important than men, and people over 65 gave all the issues more value than younger people. It is important that Spaniards understand the objective severity of these issues, thus allowing for more interventions by governments, education, and mass media.

ACS Style

Francisco Alonso; Cristina Esteban; Andrea Serge; Macarena Tortosa. Importance of Social- and Health-Related Problems: Do Spaniards Give Them the Significance They Actually Deserve? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2019, 16, 4090 .

AMA Style

Francisco Alonso, Cristina Esteban, Andrea Serge, Macarena Tortosa. Importance of Social- and Health-Related Problems: Do Spaniards Give Them the Significance They Actually Deserve? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2019; 16 (21):4090.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Francisco Alonso; Cristina Esteban; Andrea Serge; Macarena Tortosa. 2019. "Importance of Social- and Health-Related Problems: Do Spaniards Give Them the Significance They Actually Deserve?" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 16, no. 21: 4090.

Journal article
Published: 28 August 2019 in Safety Science
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Sooner than later, the growing development of Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) will represent not only an imminent transformation of transportation dynamics, but also further advantages for their users, including many improvements in road crash prevention, efficiency and sustainability. However, different concerns and constraints may affect the intention of adopting this technology among its potential customers, especially for what concerns those constraints related to safety, viability and stability. The objective of this study was to examine the influence of perceived safety and value attributed to the AV in the drivers’ intention to use it, considering the drivers’ demographic factors, driving habits, interaction with information technologies and self-reported safety records (using conventional vehicles) as potential predictors. For this cross-sectional study, data from 1205 drivers of conventional vehicles were analyzed through a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach. The intention to use autonomous vehicles could be predicted through demographic and driving-related factors, as well as by the level of interaction of individuals with information and communication technologies (ITCs). It was also found that the perceived safety of AVs and their attributed value for transport and road safety mediate the associations between drivers’ features and the final intention of using (or not) autonomous vehicles. The results of this study suggest that perceived safety and the value attributed to AVs significantly influence the intention of adopting it. In other words, a deeper emphasis on the safety, causality prevention and efficiency-related benefits may strengthen the acceptance of this new technology and enhance its progressive inclusion in transport dynamics among drivers.

ACS Style

Luis Montoro; Sergio A. Useche; Francisco Alonso; Ignacio Lijarcio; Patricia Bosó-Seguí; Ana Martí-Belda. Perceived safety and attributed value as predictors of the intention to use autonomous vehicles: A national study with Spanish drivers. Safety Science 2019, 120, 865 -876.

AMA Style

Luis Montoro, Sergio A. Useche, Francisco Alonso, Ignacio Lijarcio, Patricia Bosó-Seguí, Ana Martí-Belda. Perceived safety and attributed value as predictors of the intention to use autonomous vehicles: A national study with Spanish drivers. Safety Science. 2019; 120 ():865-876.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Luis Montoro; Sergio A. Useche; Francisco Alonso; Ignacio Lijarcio; Patricia Bosó-Seguí; Ana Martí-Belda. 2019. "Perceived safety and attributed value as predictors of the intention to use autonomous vehicles: A national study with Spanish drivers." Safety Science 120, no. : 865-876.

Research article
Published: 28 August 2019 in PLOS ONE
Reads 0
Downloads 0

This study aimed at analyzing the cycling safety-related factors and the mental health indicators of elderly cyclists in comparison with other age groups. For this cross-sectional study, we analyzed the data of 911 bicyclists from two Latin American countries that have been experiencing a substantial growth of urban cycling during the last few years: Colombia and Argentina. Participants responded to an e-questionnaire on bicycling behaviors, mental health and cycling safety. Aging adults reported lower rates of risky behaviors and traffic crashes (around .38 in five years), and, on the other hand, more cycling protective behaviors, a higher risk perception and a better knowledge of traffic norms than both other adults (26-50 years old) and young cyclists (<26). Cycling behaviors and crashes were found to be significantly related to mental health indicators, the latter being higher in aging cyclists. However, this population remains more prone to distractions experienced while cycling than other age groups. Although the behavioral features of aging adults were comparatively "safer" than the ones displayed by other age groups, factors such as cycling distractions and this population's over-representation in traffic crashes suggest the need of enforcing policymaking for a better integration of this age segment in alternative transportation dynamics.

ACS Style

Sergio A. Useche; Francisco Alonso; Jaime Sanmartin; Luis Montoro; Boris Cendales. Well-being, behavioral patterns and cycling crashes of different age groups in Latin America: Are aging adults the safest cyclists? PLOS ONE 2019, 14, e0221864 .

AMA Style

Sergio A. Useche, Francisco Alonso, Jaime Sanmartin, Luis Montoro, Boris Cendales. Well-being, behavioral patterns and cycling crashes of different age groups in Latin America: Are aging adults the safest cyclists? PLOS ONE. 2019; 14 (8):e0221864.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sergio A. Useche; Francisco Alonso; Jaime Sanmartin; Luis Montoro; Boris Cendales. 2019. "Well-being, behavioral patterns and cycling crashes of different age groups in Latin America: Are aging adults the safest cyclists?" PLOS ONE 14, no. 8: e0221864.

Journal article
Published: 01 August 2019 in Heliyon
Reads 0
Downloads 0

This study analyzes the association between trait driving anger and driving styles in a sample of Colombian professional drivers. Additionally, the internal and external validity of the Deffenbacher's Driving Anger Scale (DAS-14) was examined in the study population. The DAS-14 and the Spanish Version of the Multidimensional Driving Style Inventory (S-MDSI) were administered to 492 urban bus and taxi operators. Average trait driving anger scores in the study population were similar to those reported in previous validation studies from Spain, Argentina, China, and Malaysia. After deleting three cross-loaded items, confirmatory factor analyses revealed a three-dimensional latent structure for the DAS-14, similar but not equal to the previous Spanish speaking validations. This factorial structure fits the data reasonably well. Finally, linear regression analyses revealed that the three factors of the DAS-14 (impeded progress by others, illegal driving, and direct hostility) significantly predict adaptive and maladaptive driving styles. Overall, the results of this study suggest that the DAS-14 is a reasonably reliable measure of driving anger traits among professional drivers, and it also provides relevant insights for the prevention of risky driving styles in this occupational group.

ACS Style

Sergio A. Useche; Boris Cendales; Francisco Alonso; Luis Montoro; Juan C. Pastor. Trait driving anger and driving styles among Colombian professional drivers. Heliyon 2019, 5, e02259 .

AMA Style

Sergio A. Useche, Boris Cendales, Francisco Alonso, Luis Montoro, Juan C. Pastor. Trait driving anger and driving styles among Colombian professional drivers. Heliyon. 2019; 5 (8):e02259.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sergio A. Useche; Boris Cendales; Francisco Alonso; Luis Montoro; Juan C. Pastor. 2019. "Trait driving anger and driving styles among Colombian professional drivers." Heliyon 5, no. 8: e02259.

Articles
Published: 03 July 2019 in International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Work traffic accidents are an issue both in Spain and all over the world, and specific evidence on commuting accidents is scarce. Even though both industrial safety and welfare have been improved during the last decades, the commuting accidents rate is growing worldwide. Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine and describe the characteristics of commuting traffic crashes of Spanish professional drivers. Materials and methods: For this cross-sectional study, commuting accidents suffered by drivers during the last 12 years were analyzed. Crossed and heatmap-based analyses were performed in order to establish patterns and driver-based differences among commuting crashes. Results: Commuting crashes’ features were found to be associated with demographic and job-related variables of professional drivers. Drivers’ gender, time slots (peak/off-peak hours), together with the specific hour of the event, explained different trends in the accidentś severity and characteristics. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that commuting accidents involving professional drivers differ in demographic and situational issues from general and on-duty professional driverś traffic crashes. Also, and since in Spain commuting crashes are occupational accidents, more numerous and better actions should be taken in this regard, especially considering the association of professional drivers’ accidents with fatigue and shift-working.

ACS Style

Javier Llamazares; Sergio A. Useche; Luis Montoro; Francisco Alonso. Commuting accidents of Spanish professional drivers: when occupational risk exceeds the workplace. International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics 2019, 27, 754 -762.

AMA Style

Javier Llamazares, Sergio A. Useche, Luis Montoro, Francisco Alonso. Commuting accidents of Spanish professional drivers: when occupational risk exceeds the workplace. International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics. 2019; 27 (3):754-762.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Javier Llamazares; Sergio A. Useche; Luis Montoro; Francisco Alonso. 2019. "Commuting accidents of Spanish professional drivers: when occupational risk exceeds the workplace." International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics 27, no. 3: 754-762.

Original research article
Published: 02 July 2019 in Frontiers in Psychology
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Introduction: Psychosocial work environment has been related to many negative health outcomes in different workforces. However, evidence in this regard is still limited in the case of transport workers, and most of the tools used in research, often excessively generic, do not fully consider the specific key stressors, and adverse issues present in the psychosocial environment of professional driving. Objective: Thus, the purpose of this study was to obtain a complete description of the validation of measurement applied to psychosocial factors at work in professional drivers, using the Enterprise version (2018) of COPSOQ-III. Methods: The data was collected from 726 Spanish professional drivers, and the analyses were conducted using the competitive Confirmatory Factor Analysis or CFA, obtaining basic psychometric properties and an optimized structure for the instrument applied to active transport workers. Results: The results suggest a clear factorial structure, high factorial weights, internal consistency, and an improved adjustment to the psychosocial conditions of this group, excluding a set of items with low psychometrical adjustment and keeping the five-factor structure of the questionnaire: demands, influence and development, interpersonal relationships and leadership, job insecurity, and strain-effects and outcomes. Conclusion: Overall, what was found in this study supports the hypothesis that the validated version of COPSOQ in professional drivers, together with complementary information sources specific for their work environment, may have a relevant research value and some important practical implications for the improvement of the occupational safety, and health within the typically vulnerable industry of transportation.

ACS Style

Sergio A. Useche; Luis Montoro; Francisco Alonso; Juan C. Pastor. Psychosocial Work Factors, Job Stress and Strain at the Wheel: Validation of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) in Professional Drivers. Frontiers in Psychology 2019, 10, 1531 .

AMA Style

Sergio A. Useche, Luis Montoro, Francisco Alonso, Juan C. Pastor. Psychosocial Work Factors, Job Stress and Strain at the Wheel: Validation of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) in Professional Drivers. Frontiers in Psychology. 2019; 10 ():1531.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sergio A. Useche; Luis Montoro; Francisco Alonso; Juan C. Pastor. 2019. "Psychosocial Work Factors, Job Stress and Strain at the Wheel: Validation of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) in Professional Drivers." Frontiers in Psychology 10, no. : 1531.