Music festival attendees’ transport mode and beliefs about alcohol and illicit drug use before driving in Victoria, Australia

Abstract

We examined transport behaviors and drink and drug driving beliefs among music festival attendees as festivals are a risk environment for drink and drug driving. Overall, 2305 participants from 23 Australian festivals self-completed a questionnaire, with logistic regression used to examine correlates of drink and drug driving beliefs. Most participants attending regional music festivals travelled by car (81% to and 77% from festival) and shared driving with friends; those attending metropolitan festivals used more transport options including public transport (35%–36% from festival) and ride share services (31%–38% from festival). Most participants endorsed consuming fewer than 5 drinks in the six hours before driving (88%) and avoiding illicit drug use 24 hours before driving (22%). Heavier alcohol consumption was associated with less-safe drink driving beliefs and older age was associated with less-safe drug driving beliefs. Sharing driving with friends was associated with safer drink and drug driving beliefs. Increased transport options are needed at regional music festivals. Drink and drug driving programs could tailor messaging for people with heavy alcohol consumption and young adults beyond early years of driving. Experiences of sharing the journey with friends should be considered in road safety initiatives at festivals.

Keywords:

• Drink driving
• drug driving
• music festivals

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the Vanessa staff who recruited participants and collected survey data at music festivals. We also thank the participants who took the time to complete the survey.

Disclosure statement

HR is employed by the funder, the TAC. HO works for an organisation that provides a service to the participants at music festivals that is also funded by the TAC. Both provided input on study design and implementation and commented on the manuscript. They had no role in data analysis or results presentation but provided input into interpretation.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by the Victorian Transport Accident Commission (TAC). CD and MR are supported by Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) scholarships. CW is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Early Career Fellowship. PD is supported by an NHMRC Senior Research Fellowship. ML is supported by an NHMRC Career Development Fellowship. The authors gratefully acknowledge the Victorian Government Operational Infrastructure Support Program received by the Burnet Institute.