Smoking Behavior and Road Traffic Accidents: An Assessment of the Effectiveness of Tobacco Control Law in Bangladesh

Abstract

(1) Background: As a common problem, Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs) is vastly experiencing by the present world and which is severe in Bangladesh. Nowadays the road traffic accidents have occurred by the tobacco consumption habits where mostly tobacco control law is avoided in Bangladesh. The study aims to investigate the effects of tobacco control law on road traffic accidents in Bangladesh. (2) Methods: This cross-sectional study included 424 questionnaire surveys with drivers (bus and truck) and 10 KIIs. Chi-squared tests were used to measure differences between various parameters (related to tobacco control law and RTAs), while logistic regression models were used to determine the relationship among tobacco control law, RTA risk factors and socio-demographic features. (3) Results: This study result shows 75.9% of respondents are tobacco users where 76.4% have knowledge about tobacco control law. About 93.4% know that smoking in public transports is strongly prohibited by the law where 80.7% of them abide by the tobacco control law daily. Therefore, about 64.6% of respondents were involved in RTAs. A statistically significant association was found between RTAs and knowledge of drivers about tobacco control law (p>0.013) and having knowledge on “smoking in public transports is prohibited by the law” (OR=2.945, p=0.016) is also strongly associated with road traffic accidents. (4) Conclusion: A vast majority of the heavy vehicle drivers are well known about tobacco control law and they are obliged to the law in public transports with satisfactory level.