Prevalence of cell phone use while driving in different urban settings. A roadside observational study in maputo city, Mozambique
Introduction: All forms of cell phone use while driving poses a threat to traffic safety. Few studies have reported the prevalence from low- and middle-income countries where the risk of severe road traffic crashes is highest. This study aimed to ascertain the prevalence of cell phone use among moto...
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Elsevier
2025-01-01
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S240584402500427X |
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| author | Alfredo Júlio Maposse Lucie Laflamme Franziska Fischer Jette Möller |
| author_facet | Alfredo Júlio Maposse Lucie Laflamme Franziska Fischer Jette Möller |
| author_sort | Alfredo Júlio Maposse |
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| description | Introduction: All forms of cell phone use while driving poses a threat to traffic safety. Few studies have reported the prevalence from low- and middle-income countries where the risk of severe road traffic crashes is highest. This study aimed to ascertain the prevalence of cell phone use among motor vehicle drivers in Maputo city, Mozambique, considering different types of vehicles and cell phone use. Methods: A roadside observational study was conducted to assess cell phone use while driving in three typical urban environments (on straight roads, at intersections, and by roadside markets) during three daytime periods. The prevalence of use, expressed in percentages with 95 % confidence intervals, was estimated by type of vehicle and sex. Results: An overall 9.3 % prevalence of cell phone use was observed among the 11 680 completed observations of motor vehicle drivers. Prevalence was lower at intersections and by roadside markets (7.1 % respective 7.5 %) and higher on straight roads (12.9 %) and, for men, three times as high among car drivers (10.3 %) than among drivers of motorized three-wheelers (3.3 %). Speaking/listening was more prevalent than texting/reading for both women (52.6 % vs 36.1 %) and men (46.4 % vs 40.5 %). At all three types of sites, men in trucks spoke/listened more than men in other type of vehicles while men in cars texted/read to a greater extent. Conclusion: The overall prevalence of cell phone use observed among motor vehicle drivers in Maputo city is in the upper range of those observed in high-income settings. Notwithstanding sex-related differences and variations by type of site and vehicle and coupled with the poor road safety conditions of the city – and of the country as a whole – and the imminent rise in cell phone ownership and internet connectivity, cell phone use at the wheel is a significant cause for concern and concerted actions are called for. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
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| series | Heliyon |
| spelling | doaj-art-bc58451a8c9841c4b87a0b3a2d126df42025-02-02T05:28:52ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402025-01-01112e42047Prevalence of cell phone use while driving in different urban settings. A roadside observational study in maputo city, MozambiqueAlfredo Júlio Maposse0Lucie Laflamme1Franziska Fischer2Jette Möller3Eduardo Mondlane University, Department of Psychology, Centre of Studies and Psychological Support (CEAP), Maputo, MozambiqueKarolinska Institutet, Department of Global Public Health, Stockholm, Sweden; University of South Africa, Institute for Social and Health Sciences, Pretoria, South AfricaKarolinska Institutet, Department of Global Public Health, Stockholm, SwedenKarolinska Institutet, Department of Global Public Health, Stockholm, Sweden; Corresponding author. Karolinska Institutet, Department of Global Public Health, Tomtebodavägen 18A, 17177, Stockholm, Sweden.Introduction: All forms of cell phone use while driving poses a threat to traffic safety. Few studies have reported the prevalence from low- and middle-income countries where the risk of severe road traffic crashes is highest. This study aimed to ascertain the prevalence of cell phone use among motor vehicle drivers in Maputo city, Mozambique, considering different types of vehicles and cell phone use. Methods: A roadside observational study was conducted to assess cell phone use while driving in three typical urban environments (on straight roads, at intersections, and by roadside markets) during three daytime periods. The prevalence of use, expressed in percentages with 95 % confidence intervals, was estimated by type of vehicle and sex. Results: An overall 9.3 % prevalence of cell phone use was observed among the 11 680 completed observations of motor vehicle drivers. Prevalence was lower at intersections and by roadside markets (7.1 % respective 7.5 %) and higher on straight roads (12.9 %) and, for men, three times as high among car drivers (10.3 %) than among drivers of motorized three-wheelers (3.3 %). Speaking/listening was more prevalent than texting/reading for both women (52.6 % vs 36.1 %) and men (46.4 % vs 40.5 %). At all three types of sites, men in trucks spoke/listened more than men in other type of vehicles while men in cars texted/read to a greater extent. Conclusion: The overall prevalence of cell phone use observed among motor vehicle drivers in Maputo city is in the upper range of those observed in high-income settings. Notwithstanding sex-related differences and variations by type of site and vehicle and coupled with the poor road safety conditions of the city – and of the country as a whole – and the imminent rise in cell phone ownership and internet connectivity, cell phone use at the wheel is a significant cause for concern and concerted actions are called for.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S240584402500427XDistracted drivingSmartphoneCrossingsSub-saharan africaCar driversThree-wheelers |
| spellingShingle | Alfredo Júlio Maposse Lucie Laflamme Franziska Fischer Jette Möller Prevalence of cell phone use while driving in different urban settings. A roadside observational study in maputo city, Mozambique Heliyon Distracted driving Smartphone Crossings Sub-saharan africa Car drivers Three-wheelers |
| title | Prevalence of cell phone use while driving in different urban settings. A roadside observational study in maputo city, Mozambique |
| title_full | Prevalence of cell phone use while driving in different urban settings. A roadside observational study in maputo city, Mozambique |
| title_fullStr | Prevalence of cell phone use while driving in different urban settings. A roadside observational study in maputo city, Mozambique |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prevalence of cell phone use while driving in different urban settings. A roadside observational study in maputo city, Mozambique |
| title_short | Prevalence of cell phone use while driving in different urban settings. A roadside observational study in maputo city, Mozambique |
| title_sort | prevalence of cell phone use while driving in different urban settings a roadside observational study in maputo city mozambique |
| topic | Distracted driving Smartphone Crossings Sub-saharan africa Car drivers Three-wheelers |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S240584402500427X |
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