Citation

Ferrara SD, Castagna F, Tedeschi L. Proc. Int. Counc. Alcohol Drugs Traffic Safety Conf. 1981; 1981: 315-327.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1981, The author(s) and the Council, Publisher International Council on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Evidence has accumulated which indicates that licit and illicit drug use causes impairment of driving and of other complex human performance. This use is believed to be responsible for accidents and deaths from traffic collisions. Epidemiologic research is being done in northeast Italy in order to test the existence of this relationship between drug use and driving performance and in order to make possible appropriate legislative provisions. The present study comprises close to a thousand cases. It consists of data on the drivers' blood and urine analysis subsequent to the accident and of detailed questionnaire. The study serves to ascertain the presence and the level of drugs in order to reconstruct the conditions of the accident. Chemical analyses have been done by emit, glc and hplc. The first results confirm that drugs in combination with alcohol represent a factor in determining highway accidents, but it is also highly desirable to avoid the promulgation of laws based upon simplistic assumptions, as it might happen in Italy. (TRRL)