Psychoactive substance-related deaths in road traffic accidents in Slovakia between 2000 and 2007.
OBJECTIVE
Our study was aimed at fatal road traffic accidents caused under the influence of psychoactive substances different from alcohol.


METHODS
Retrospective analyses of fatalities in 2000-2005 road traffic accidents under the influence of psychoactive substances different from alcohol on the behalf of National Monitoring Centre for Drugs were carried out in all of 10 Slovak medical forensic workplaces supervised by Healthcare Surveillance Authority. The detected set of cases was extended by cases reported in 2006 and 2007.


RESULTS
A total of 75 fatalities in road traffic accidents were reported to be incurred under the influence of psychoactive substances. Of the latter amount, 42 cases occurred in the period 2000-2005 and 33 cases in 2006 and 2007. The set involved 32 drivers, 12 pedestrians, 4 motorcyclists, 2 cyclists and 25 passengers. The most frequently detected substances in the period 2000-2005 were cannabis and benzodiazepines. In 2006 and 2007 the increase in substances classified as central nervous system stimulants was detected.


CONCLUSIONS
The listed number of reported deaths incurred in the whole territory of Slovakia during the 8-year period is relatively low in comparison with the total number of fatal road traffic accidents. The proved reality represents only the tip of the iceberg and suggests that the monitoring of prevalence of psychoactive substances in population had some drawbacks (Tab. 4, Ref. 8).
Sidlo
J
J
Institute of Forensic Medicine, Faculty ofMedicine, Comenius University and Healthcare Surveillance Authority, Bratislava, Slovakia. sidlo45@gmail.com
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018154:Slovakia / Q000453:epidemiology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult