Citation

Seppala T. J. Traffic Med. 1991; 19(1): 1-2.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1991, International Association for Accident and Traffic Medicine)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

According to epidemiological surveys, psychotropic drugs are involved in approximately 10 percent of road traffic accidents signifying some 200,000 fatal accidents in the world each year. Measurements of blood drug levels suggest that therapeutic use of medicines is associated only in some of these cases. In drivers suspected of driving under the influence of psychotropic drugs or drugs and alcohol one third may have blood benzodiazepine concentrations which clearly exceed the "therapeutic range". To decrease benzodiazepine-related traffic hazards co-operation between different professionals is needed, including physicians, chemists, lawyers, and consumer groups.