title: Prevalence of abuse of alcohol and other drugs among injured drivers presenting to the emergency department of the University Hospital of Modena, Italy.
abstract: Among those drivers responsible for injury-producing traffic crashes in a town of northern Italy (Modena) and its surrounding territory, we evaluated the percentage that was positive for alcohol or other drugs affecting CNS function. A total of 115 crash-responsible injured drivers (90 males and 25 females) consecutively presenting to the emergency department at the University Hospital of Modena were enrolled. A urine sample was requested from each driver; the presence of alcohol or drugs was detected by means of various procedures (enzyme immunoassay, liquid or gas chromatography, mass spectrometry). Among the 115 enrolled drivers, 46 (40%) were positive for at least one drug and/or alcohol. Of these 46 drivers, 66% were positive for a single drug, 25% for two drugs, 9% for three or more drugs. Recent use of marijuana was found most frequently (19% out of the total 115 enrolled drivers), surpassing alcohol (10%), amphetamines (7%) and cocaine (6%); 11 drivers (about 10%) tested positive for benzodiazepines. The majority of drivers positive for benzodiazepines were 41-70 years old, while most drivers positive for alcohol or other drugs were 21-40 years old. Thirty-nine (85%) of the positive injured drivers were males and seven (15%) were females. The present data confirm that a significant percentage of injury-producing traffic crashes involves drivers who are under the influence of drugs of abuse, alcohol, or other drugs affecting the CNS.
authors.affiliation: Emergency Department, Policlinico di Modena, Largo del Pozzo 71, 41100 Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Giovanardi
authors.forename: Carmela Nives
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Castellana
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pisa
authors.forename: Brunella
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Poppi
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pinetti
authors.forename: Alfio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bertolini
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferrari
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs