Citation

Florek E, Pietoszewski W, Moczko J, Jenner B. Proc. Int. Counc. Alcohol Drugs Traffic Safety Conf. 2002; 2002: 467-471.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2002, The author(s) and the Council, Publisher International Council on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

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Abstract

The earliest information about the influence of drugs on driving performance appeared in the forties. Although the effects of alcohol and narcotics (illicit drugs) on driving performance have been widely studied and are well-known, the potential risk of patients causing traffic crashes under the influence of prescribed drugs is ignored by patients and also by pharmacists and physicians. The purpose of this study was to assess the frequency of medicinal drugs taking by Polish drivers and to evaluate drivers' knowledge on the impairment properties of various drugs on driving performance. The study was performed on the basis of a specially constructed questionnaire, which was sent to 4000 drivers. 1161 drivers (29%) responded to the questionnaire. In this group were 894 men and 267 women. Most of them were experienced drivers, driving longer then 5 years; the frequencies of driving were a few times a week or every day. Analysis of the answers showed that the prescribed drugs most frequently taken by drivers are pain relievers (35.6 % of drivers) and benzodiazepines (11.1% of drivers). The most popular benzodiazepine was diazepam, taken by 40% of drivers taking benzodiazepines. Only 28% of those questioned knew that law does not allow driving under the influence of the drugs mentioned in the questionnaire (psychotropic, benzodiazepines etc.). From the study it can be concluded that one third of Polish drivers drive under the influence of prescribed drugs that are forbidden by law when driving.