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Core 1: Health Priorities in Australia

What are the priority areas for improving Australia’s health?

Road and traffic related injuries

Social determinants

Nowadays, there is a greater community awareness and understanding of the factors contributing to road and traffic injuries. For example, drink driving is now regarded as a socially unacceptable behaviour. This socio-cultural factor has led to a reduction in the incidence of drink driving in the last few years. To reduce the road toll further, a similar change must occur in people’s attitudes in relation to speeding, driving while fatigued and seatbelt wearing.

Social factors and road and traffic related injuries

In the individual lifestyle approach to road and traffic related injuries individuals are expected to take responsibility for their own behaviour. If this approach worked effectively, individuals would not speed, not drink and drive and would always wear their seatbelt.. However, individuals continue to ignore these rules. This is because the individual lifestyle approach fails to recognise the numerous factors that influence an individual’s behaviour as a road user.

What are the socio-cultural factors that make people
break these rules even though they are aware of them?

What makes an individual speed if they are aware that speeding is against the law?

The social view of health identifies that there is a number of factors that combine to influence an individual’s health.

The following diagram demonstrates the social view of health and helps to identify socio-cultural factors that may influence an individual’s health. The large circle indicates the social view of health while the surrounding rectangles indicate the elements or socio-cultural factors that influence health.

Student activity
Study the information presented and consider the socio-cultural factors that influence road and traffic related injuries by completing the following. Identify 3 of the socio-cultural factors and examine how they may contribute to an individuals health in relation to roads and driving. For example: Employment or unemployment may influence an individuals decision on a car to purchase. An unemployed person may not have the finances to purchase the car of choice. They may have to opt for an older model car and may have to minimize the amount they spend on maintenance. Employment may give the same person the option to purchase a newer car with more safety features and have the vehicle regularly maintained. Identify some socio-cultural factors that would influence a young person to either: Speed or observe the speed limits Drink drive or choose not to drink and drive Wear a seatbelt or not to wear a seatbelt

Student activity

Study the information presented and consider the socio-cultural factors that influence road and traffic related injuries by completing the following.

Identify 3 of the socio-cultural factors and examine how they may contribute to an individuals health in relation to roads and driving.

For example: Employment or unemployment may influence an individuals decision on a car to purchase. An unemployed person may not have the finances to purchase the car of choice. They may have to opt for an older model car and may have to minimize the amount they spend on maintenance. Employment may give the same person the option to purchase a newer car with more safety features and have the vehicle regularly maintained.

Identify some socio-cultural factors that would influence a young person to either:

Speed or observe the speed limits
Drink drive or choose not to drink and drive
Wear a seatbelt or not to wear a seatbelt

The following scenarios outline two driving experiences where the behaviour demonstrated by the individuals are a result of different factors. In each case socio-cultural factors have contributed to the behaviour of the individuals. These factors could be positive or negative.

Scenario 1

Tracy is an 18 year old from Bourke. Tracy’s mum and dad have owned a farm their whole lives and are looking forward to passing it on to their children one day. Tracy and her two younger brothers have worked on the farm since they were old enough to stand.

When Tracy turned 18 years old she was given a new Holden ute from her mum and dad. Tracy was driving along a rural road on her way to a party late one afternoon. The party was approximately 25km from the property.

Tracy was speeding when she lost control around a corner and smashed her ute into a tree. Tracy had two other passengers in the car, Trudy was aged 16 and Michelle 17.None of the girls were wearing seatbelts at the time and all three were tragically killed in the crash.

The families of the girls were having difficulty coping with the crash. Tracy’s mum and dad have been traumatised by the event. Her father was heard saying that “Tracy has been driving a car since she was 14”. He could not believe she had a motor accident as she was an experienced driver.

Scenario 2

Trent was 19 years old and enjoyed going to the beach. He has always lived near the beach and enjoyed the outdoors. Ever since Trent can remember he had wanted to get his driver’s licence as soon as he was eligible.

Trent’s parents gave him a set of 10 driving lessons to help him get his licence at his first attempt. Trent remembered much of what the driving instructor had taught him. Whilst driving, he always obeyed the speed limits and always kept a good distance from the car in front of him.

One afternoon Trent was driving near the local shopping centre. There were many parked cars around so Trent continually scanned the area as he was taught. Suddenly an 8 year old boy darted out between two cars in front of Trent’s car. Trent slammed on the brakes and skidded into the side of one of the parked cars. The collision resulted in damage to Trent’s car and the parked car, however, the young boy was not hurt. The young boy’s parents were nowhere to be seen.

Student activity
The behaviour of an individual road user (passenger, pedestrian, pedal cyclist, motor cyclist or driver) is influenced by a number of factors. Read the scenarios above and complete the following tasks. Identify the road use behaviours in the scenarios e.g. speeding, not wearing seatbelts, obeying the speed limit, scanning the traffic. Examine the socio-cultural factors you have identified and provide possible explanations on how they might have contributed to the road use behaviours.

Student activity

The behaviour of an individual road user (passenger, pedestrian, pedal cyclist, motor cyclist or driver) is influenced by a number of factors.

Read the scenarios above and complete the following tasks.

Identify the road use behaviours in the scenarios e.g. speeding, not wearing seatbelts, obeying the speed limit, scanning the traffic.
Examine the socio-cultural factors you have identified and provide possible explanations on how they might have contributed to the road use behaviours.

Cause of death per 100,000 of population 1994

The table below shows the death rate per 100,000 people due to road and traffic-related accidents. It shows a comparison of indigenous people with the rest of the Australian population.

Cause of death	Indigenous people	All Australians
Road traffic accidents	47.9	11.0
Indigenous death-rate data is for Western Australia, South Australia, Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory only

Source: Mosel-Williams L, Health, Life and Living Book 2, Heinemenn, 1999.

Student activity
Examine and analyse the table above. What does the table tell you about the death rate of indigenous people due to road and traffic-related accidents compared to the rest of the population? Identify some reasons why this may be the case. You may wish to consider the social determinants including access to education, access to health services and remoteness.

Student activity

Examine and analyse the table above.

What does the table tell you about the death rate of indigenous people due to road and traffic-related accidents compared to the rest of the population?
Identify some reasons why this may be the case. You may wish to consider the social determinants including access to education, access to health services and remoteness.

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