Raimondo Bruno,
PhD (Clin Psych.), BSc (Hons) is alecturer at the School of Psychology, University of Tasmania. He has been involved in the alcohol and drug sector in Tasmania for the past decade in numerous research, evaluation and consultancy roles.
His main research interests include the health and cognitive consequences of use of substances such as ‘ecstasy’ (MDMA), cannabis, and benzodiazepines; illicit drug market trends, in particular those relating to unsanctioned use of pharmaceuticals; and approaches to the reduction of harm associated with drug use. In recent years he has been involved in numerous studies relating to driving, including collaborating on a legislative review of Tasmanian drug driving laws, multiple studies investigating the effects of benzodiazepines (anti-anxiety drugs) on driving ability, and a National Health and Medical Research Council-funded study examining the effects of common medications (benzodiazepines and codeine) on driving when combined with legally-acceptable levels of blood alcohol.
He is an honorary fellow of Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre; Tasmanian state representative to the Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs; and Co-Chair of the Pharmaceutical Misuse Working Group of the Alcohol and other Drugs Council of Australia.
SUMMARY OF PROJECT:
People' attitudes towards driving behaviour in Tasmania
Among serious casualties on Tasmanian roads in 2008, around half involved inattentiveness, speeding, or alcohol/drugs as a factor. These are all preventable factors, with a long history of driver education campaigns aimed at reducing their impact. However, around half of these serious accidents involved other factors which may include aggressive driving attitudes and behaviours.
Aggressive driving is typically deliberate and motivated by impatience, annoyance, hostility, and/or attempts to save time. Some examples include, weaving in and out of traffic, failing to signal, failing to yield right of way or obey road rules, tailgating, and unwillingness to extend co-operation to others on the road.
Previous research suggests an association between aggressive driving behaviours and increased accident risk. A better understanding of the extent of these behaviours on Tasmanian roads and their influence on accident risk may lead to practically useful driver education messages that help to reduce the Tasmanian road toll.
The aim of this research is to recruit a large number (over 1,000) of Tasmanian drivers to take part in a survey about aggressive driving, other risk behaviours (e.g., speeding, fatigue, inattention, driving under the influence of alcohol/drugs), personality styles, attitudes to others on the road, and recent experience of traffic violations, near-misses and accidents.
This will provide a picture of the rate of aggressive and risky driving attitudes and behaviours in the Tasmanian community and will allow us to determine the extent to which these contribute to accident risk. This will also allow us infer the contribution that aggressive driving and driving attitudes make to accident risk compared with well-understood risk measures such as Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC).