Health Behavior and Accident Risk: Obesity Is Associated with the Future Risk of Heavy Truck Crashes among Newly Recruited Commercial Drivers

Jon E. Anderson (), Manjari Govada, Tricia K. Steffen, Chris P. Thorne, Vasileia Varvarigou (), Stefanos N. Kales () and Stephen Burks
Additional contact information
Jon E. Anderson: University of Minnesota, Morris
Manjari Govada: University of Minnesota, Morris
Tricia K. Steffen: University of Minnesota, Morris
Chris P. Thorne: University of Minnesota, Morris
Vasileia Varvarigou: Harvard School of Public Health
Stefanos N. Kales: Harvard School of Public Health

No 6408, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: This study estimates the dose-response relationship between Body Mass Index (BMI) and crash risk in commercial motor vehicle operators. Intake data was collected on 744 new truck drivers who were training for their commercial driver's licenses at a school operated by the cooperating trucking firm during the first two-week phase of instruction. Drivers were then followed prospectively on the job using the firm's operational data for two years, or until employment separation, whichever came first. Multivariate Poisson regression and Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the relationship between crash risk and BMI, controlling for exposure using miles driven, trip segments, and job type. Results from the Poisson regression indicated that the risk ratio (RR) for all crashes was significantly higher for drivers in the obesity Class II and Class III categories: RR= 1.6, confidence interval 1.2-2.1 and RR= 1.49, confidence interval 1.12-1.99, respectively. Similarly, the multivariate Cox Proportional Hazard model results showed that crash risk was significantly higher for obesity class II (BMI 35 to 40; RR = 1.35, P =0.06) when compared to normal BMI (BMI 18.5 to

Keywords: obesity; traffic accidents; body mass index; heavy truck; commercial motor vehicle; Poisson regression; Cox proportional hazard; truckload; health behavior (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I12 J49 R41 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 21 pages
Date: 2012-03
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hea
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

Published - revised version published as 'Obesity is associated with the future risk of heavy truck crashes among newly recruited commercial drivers,' in: Accident Analysis and Prevention, 2012, 49, 378-384

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