Pubdate: Sat, 28 May 2011
Source: Globe and Mail (Canada)
Copyright: 2011 The Globe and Mail Company
Contact:  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/168
Author: Richard Russell
Note: Halifax-based Richard Russell runs a driving school.
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?224 (Cannabis and Driving)

DUI: DRIVING AFTER DRUG USE A GROWING CONCERN

When we see the term DUI (Driving Under the Influence), we assume 
alcohol is the culprit. However, there is a growing body of evidence 
that the "influence" is drugs - whether illicit or over-the-counter.

A study completed in British Columbia recently revealed similar 
results to others conducted in Canada and the United States - a 
significant percentage of drivers have drugs in their system.

As part of the 2010 British Columbia Roadside Survey, The Canadian 
Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA) asked 2,849 drivers in five B.C. 
cities to voluntarily provide breath and oral fluid samples to test 
for the presence of drugs or alcohol. More than 200 drivers, 7.2 per 
cent of the total number of drivers tested in the random survey, had 
detectable levels of drugs in their systems.

The report concluded that "driving after drug use is a growing issue 
that is as prevalent as driving after alcohol use - and that 
drug-impairment may also be a contributing factor to collisions and 
fatal road crashes."

By way of comparison. 9.9 per cent of the same group had detectable 
levels of alcohol in their blood. Cannabis and cocaine were the most 
common drugs. The report also discovered that "drug use among drivers 
is more evenly distributed than alcohol use when it comes to age 
group, time of day, and day of the week."

An earlier report from the CCSA reported that 33 per cent of drivers 
who died in vehicle crashes on public roadways in Canada between 2000 
and 2007 tested positive for drugs. The National Highway Traffic 
Safety Administration in the United States says that in a multi-state 
study of fatal crashes, almost one in five drivers (18 per cent) had 
drugs other than alcohol in their bodies; prescription and illegal 
drugs were represented about equally. NHTSA says the most common 
drugs are cannabis, minor tranquilizers, stimulants and opiates.

Another study by the American Substance Abuse and Mental Health 
Services Administration (SAMHSA) showed that 16.6 per cent of 
American drivers over the age of 21 admitted driving while under the 
influence of alcohol or illicit drugs.

Extracted from data from the National Surveys on Drug Use and Health, 
2002 and 2003, the SAMHSA report, Driving Under the Influence among 
Adult Drivers, estimated that among adult drivers ages 21 or older, 
15.7 per cent drove under the influence of alcohol, 4.3 per cent 
drove under the influence of illicit drugs; and 3.0 per cent drove 
under the combined influence of alcohol and drugs, during the past year.

The report also found that the propensity to drive while under the 
influence of alcohol or drugs is lower for females and goes down with 
age. It indicates females over the age of 21 are half as likely to 
have done so and that overall 33.8 per cent of those between 21 and 
25 had, 24.3 per cent of those in the 26-34 year range, 10 per cent 
in the 50-65 range and only 3.4 per cent of those over 65 years of age.

The authors of the British Columbia report says the total number and 
percentage of drivers using drugs may be higher than reported because 
some drug levels may have been below detection thresholds.

The British Columbia Automobile Association says a bigger problem is 
that the drugs are not being used in isolation. A second CCSA study, 
A Comparison of Drug and Alcohol-involved Motor Vehicle Driver 
Fatalities, reported that 33 per cent of drivers killed in accidents 
tested positive for drugs, compared to 37 per cent who were positive 
for alcohol.

Even over-the-counter non-prescription drugs, such as cold and flu 
remedies, travel sickness medication, pain relievers, eye drops, 
cough syrups, allergy medications, etc., may contain antihistamines, 
alcohol, codeine, and other compounds especially dangerous for 
drivers. Labels commonly state "may cause drowsiness," "do not 
operate machinery," Used in combination with alcohol or other drugs, 
the likelihood of impairment is greatly enhanced.

As jurisdictions around the world try to come to grips with the 
mounting societal costs of traffic injuries and fatalities, drugs are 
a raising a red flag.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom