TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2001//
TI  - The relationship between blood benzodiazepine concentration and vehicle crash culpability
JO  - Journal of traffic medicine
A1  - Longo, M. C.
A1  - Lokan, R. J.
A1  - White, J. M.
SP  - 36
EP  - 43
VL  - 29
IS  - 1-2
N2  - Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between blood benzodiazepine concentration and crash risk. Methods: Blood samples from 2500 injured drivers were analyzed for benzodiazepines and the relationship between concentration and crash risk was assessed using culpability analysis. Benzodiazepine concentrations were expressed as a proportion of the peak concentration of the drug in blood or plasma for a standard therapeutic dose of the drug. Results: There were 68 drivers (2.7%) who tested positive for at least one benzodiazepine. Of these, 16 (23.5%) also tested positive for alcohol. Drivers who tested positive for benzodiazepines, either alone or in combination with alcohol, had a higher culpability rate than drug-free drivers. There was a significant linear relationship between benzodiazepine concentration and culpability for drivers who tested positive for benzodiazepines alone. Conclusion: The results here provide clear evidence of increased culpability associated with benzodiazepine use, which was marked at higher concentrations.<p />
LA  - en
SN  - 0345-5564
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -