Payesh (Oct 2010)
The role of pupil liaisons’ on traffic penalties and road traffic injuries
Abstract
Objective(s): To determine the role of pupil liaisons’ education on social discipline promotion and road traffic injury prevention. Methods: This was a before-after interventional study on 2800 pupils randomly selected from 6 different districts of Tehran, Iran. The pupils were taught about common driving offences and were asked to note and prevent offences if their parents performed offences. Data were collected by a questionnaire for childern’s performances and other demographic information. Results: Subjects were pupils 8-15 years. The mean age of participants was 11 years. Overall, 47.7 percent of pupils were boys. Non use of seat belt (39.1%), speaking with mobile while driving (31.8%) and speeding (29.8%) were major offences as noted by pupils’ liaisons. Recorded offences by traffic police before the intervention for thease families was 2789 cases. A significant differences with 17.9 percent reduction in offences were observed after intervention (2290 cases, P<0.001). The most offences reduction were eating and drinking during driving (92.7%). Conclusion: Pupil liaisons’ program was effective on reduction of driving offences. The most reduction was eating or drinking during driving. All 9 common offences which were monitored by pupil liaisons’ were effective on reduction of offences except for mobile speaking while driving.