The incidence of drugs in drivers killed in Australian road traffic crashes.
The incidence of alcohol and drugs in fatally injured drivers were determined in three Australian states; Victoria (VIC), New South Wales (NSW) and Western Australia (WA) for the period of 1990-1999. A total of 3398 driver fatalities were investigated which included 2609 car drivers, 650 motorcyclists and 139 truck drivers. Alcohol at or over 0.05 g/100ml (%) was present in 29.1% of all drivers. The highest prevalence was in car drivers (30.3%) and the lowest in truckers (8.6%). WA had the highest rate of alcohol presence of the three states (35.8%). Almost 10% of the cases involved both alcohol and drugs. Drugs (other than alcohol) were present in 26.7% of cases and psychotropic drugs in 23.5%. These drugs comprised cannabis (13.5%), opioids (4.9%), stimulants (4.1%), benzodiazepines (4.1%) and other psychotropic drugs (2.7%). 8.5% of all drivers tested positive for Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and the balance of cannabis positive drivers were positive to only the 11-nor-Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid (carboxy-THC) metabolite. The range of THC blood concentrations in drivers was 0.1-228 ng/ml, with a median of 9 ng/ml. Opioids consisted mainly of morphine (n=84), codeine (n=89) and methadone (n=33), while stimulants consisted mainly of methamphetamine (n=51), MDMA (n=6), cocaine (n=5), and the ephedrines (n=61). The prevalence of drugs increased over the decade, particularly cannabis and opioids, while alcohol decreased. Cannabis had a larger prevalence in motorcyclists (22.2%), whereas stimulants had a much larger presence in truckers (23%).
Drummer
Olaf H
OH
Department of Forensic Medicine, Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, Monash University, 57-83 Kavanagh Street, Vic., Southbank, Australia. olaf.drummer@med.monash.edu.au
Gerostamoulos
Jim
J
Batziris
Helen
H
Chu
Mark
M
Caplehorn
John R M
JR
Robertson
Michael D
MD
Swann
Philip
P
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000097:blood; D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000097:blood; D002423:Cause of Death / Q000639:trends; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018986:Motor Vehicles / Q000145:classification; D009294:Narcotics / Q000097:blood; D015995:Prevalence; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000097:blood; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*
D002186:Cannabinoids; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D009294:Narcotics; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D000431:Ethanol