Antivaxxers Have Significantly Higher Risk for Car Crashes (Apologies if previously posted)

[SorellaLaBefana]

A study published earlier this month in the American Journal of Medicine found an adjusted (age, sex, etc) increased risk of a crash of about 50%

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Here is the edited abstract:

Coronavirus disease (COVID) vaccine hesitancy is a reflection of psychology that might also contribute to traffic safety. We tested whether COVID vaccination was associated with the risks of a traffic crash...

population-based longitudinal cohort analysis of adults and determined COVID vaccination status through linkages to individual electronic medical records. Traffic crashes requiring emergency medical care were subsequently identified by multicenter outcome ascertainment of all hospitals in the region over a 1-month follow-up interval (178 separate centers).

Results
A total of 11,270,763 individuals were included, of whom 16% had not received a COVID vaccine and 84% had received a COVID vaccine. The cohort accounted for 6682 traffic crashes during follow-up. Unvaccinated individuals accounted for 1682 traffic crashes (25%), equal to a 72% increased relative risk compared with those vaccinated (95% confidence interval, 63-82; P < 0.001). The increased traffic risks among unvaccinated individuals extended to diverse subgroups, was similar to the relative risk associated with sleep apnea, and was equal to a 48% increase after adjustment...

Conclusions
These data suggest that COVID vaccine hesitancy is associated with significant increased risks of a traffic crash. An awareness of these risks might help to encourage more COVID vaccination.

This is an open access (free) article: [link:https://www.amjmed.com/article/S0002-9343(22)00822-1/fulltext |]
For some reason the link breaks on DU. If copy from https>>fulltext then pasting in browser works.

Upon reflection, this is something which seems as though it might have been predicted.

[brewens]

1. They are irresponsible. That could show up any number of ways to contribute to car crashes.

I'd bet there are more antivax alcoholics. Most likely more aggressive driving too. Probably much more likely to road rage. It would be a wonder if that were not true.

[Mr.Bill]

6. Basically a lack of

giving a fuck about anyone but themselves.

[harumph]

2. probably at risk of accident for any task that requires common sense

or paying attention - e.g., opening a can, walking a dog, raking leaves, paying bills, plugging and un-plugging
small appliances, etc.

[viva la]

3. My experience with the antivaxxers is that they think everything should be 100%

Either it's perfect or it's bad. (This seems like it must have something to do with the sort of primitive religion a lot of evangelicals perform-- you know, God is perfect.)

They don't look at the reality, that the vax is very helpful in reducing infection and severity and death, and that nations that have a high vax rate have much better Covid outcomes.

No, if anyone vaxxed gets the disease, then the vax is worthless to them.

We can point out that the unvaxxed are much more likely to die, but that doesn't register. If it's not a miracle, it's no good.

That same mentality would insist that since some people get killed in car accidents even if they're wearing a seatbelt, seatbelts are worthless.

This is such a ... limted mentality. I've got one in my family. He had Covid more than a year ago, and insists he doesn't need the vaccine, no matter what. No one in the family will invite him over now, but he's sticking to his guns on this. (Oh, yeah, he also has guns. Of course.)

[ProfessorGAC]

4. We Had 3 Guys In Our Golf Group...

...of around 10, that made noise about the vax.
The one guy who was an RWNJ, declared he was going to rely on his immune system. Two other guys, both sane Republicans, reminded him that was the point of vaccines. So, one could rely.on their immune systems. I never had to say it. He shut up with the disinformation after that, and ended up with a 9 day hospital stay from COVID. He never brought up vaccines again.
Two other guys insisted they didn't need it and they'd take their chances. They both got vaxxed within 2 weeks of them becoming available. Why? Because those 2 rugged individualist tough guys' wives made them. So much for being a tough guy!
That first guy matched your description. It wasn't a cure-all, it wasn't side effect free, so it must be a government plot to give us a useless shot. He moved away earlier this year, so I don't have to hear his nonsense anymore.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

5. People who are too stupid to get vaccinated are a danger to other people

[NickB79]

7. Overestimating their abilities, underestimating their risks

Sounds about right