Unlicensed motorcycling of high school adolescents in Dehaghan county (Isfahan Province of Iran)

• About 75% of male high school adolescents rode motorcycles without license.
• Mean age at first motorcycling experience is about 12 years ranged from 8 to 17.
• Some demographic and social variables influence unlicensed motorcycling.
• Some demographic and social variables influence the age at first motorcycling experience.

BackgroundUnlicensed motorcycling increases the chances of accidents in adolescents. There are many behavioral and non-behavioral factors involved in adolescents’ unlicensed motorcycling which were not addressed in research yet completely.MethodsThe cross-sectional study aimed to determine prevalence and related factors of unlicensed motorcycling on 500 unlicensed male high school adolescents in Dehaghan, who entered in the study by census. Demographic and motorcycling information were collected via self-report questionnaire, and its content validity was approved by a panel of experts. The statistical analyses of the data included Pearson Correlation Coefficient, chi-square, independent samples t-test and ANOVA with Tukey post hoc test.ResultsThe prevalence of unlicensed motorcycling among participants was 74.2% and mean age at first motorcycling experience was 11.97 ± 1.97 years ranged from 8 to 17. Of the motorcyclist participants, 59.6% owned their personal motorcycle. Most motorcycle passengers (62.8%) were adolescent’s friends, and the most frequently expressed reason for use of motorcycle was fun and entertainment (54.2%). Age at first motorcycling experience was lower among rural adolescents than urban adolescents. However, unlicensed motorcycling was more prevalent among urban adolescents than rural ones. The relationship between living status, father’s job, mother’s job and age at first motorcycling experience was insignificant (P > 0.05). However, mean age at first motorcycling experience among students of humanities, technical disciplines, and general first year was lower than that among students of natural sciences and math.ConclusionHigh prevalence of unlicensed motorcycling and significant role of family and social environments on adolescents’ high-risk motorcycling without license, is indicative of the need for interventions at all levels of peers, family, and schools and also establishing new driving regulations in Iran.