Objective. The purpose of this study was to compare the frequency of involvement in risky driving circumstances between Guatemalan and Spanish university students and identify in both populations the differences between the involvement in such circumstances and road crashes. Materials and methods. A cross sectional study was conducted during the academic courses 2007 to 2011 on a sample of 2 130 drivers (1 016 in Guatemala and 1 114 in Spain), who completed a self-administered questionnaire that assessed: mobility patterns, use of safety devices, driving styles and involvement in road traffic crashes. Results: Furthermore, they were involved more frequently in almost all the risky-driving circumstances compared with Spanish students, principally in: mobile use (74.4 % versus 24.3 %), distraction (47.1 % versus 18.8 %) or not using seatbelt (23.9% vs 5.9). Finally, the adjusted analysis yields an accident rate 4.8 times higher among Guatemalans (CI 95% 3.1-7.4). Conclusions: Considering the factors more frequently associated with suffer road traffic crashes dependent on human factor, it is noted physical and social factors as well as that the car-dependent issues, must play an important role in the marked differences detected in both populations
Objetivos. Comparar las diferencias en las circunstancias de riesgo al volante en universitarios de Guatemala y España. Materiales y métodos. Estudio transversal realizado durante el 2007 a 2011 en una muestra de 2130 conductores (1016 en Guatemala y 1114 en España), quienes respondieron un cuestionario autoadministrado que valoraba: patrones de movilidad, uso de dispositivos de seguridad, estilos de conducción e implicación en accidentes de tránsito. Resultados. Los estudiantes de Guatemala se implicaron con mayor frecuencia en circunstancias de riesgo como hablar por el teléfono móvil (74,4% vs 24,3%), distraerse (47,1% vs 18,8%) o no usar el cinturón de seguridad (23,9% vs 5,9%) con respecto a los españoles; en el análisis ajustado el reporte de haber tenido algún accidente fue 4,8 veces mayor (IC 95% 3,1-7,4) en universitarios de Guatemala. Conclusiones. Existen factores dependientes del vehículo, entorno físico y de índole social, que podrían tener un rol importante en las diferencias detectadas en ambas poblaciones