title: Driving under the influence among frequent ecstasy consumers in Australia: trends over time and the role of risk perceptions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol and illicit drugs is a serious road safety concern. This research aimed to examine trends in DUI across time and changes in attitudes towards the risks (crash and legal) associated with DUI among regular ecstasy users (REU) interviewed in Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were regular (at least monthly) ecstasy users surveyed in 2007 (n=573) or 2011 (n=429) who had driven a car in the last six months. Face to face interviews comprised questions about recent engagement of DUI and roadside breath (alcohol) and saliva (drug) testing. Participants also reported the risk of crash and of being apprehended by police if DUI of alcohol, cannabis, ecstasy, and methamphetamine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant reductions in DUI of psychostimulants (ecstasy, methamphetamine, cocaine, LSD) but not alcohol or cannabis between 2007 and 2011. This was accompanied by increased experience of roadside saliva testing and increases in crash and legal risk perceptions for ecstasy and methamphetamine, but not alcohol or cannabis. When the relationship between DUI and risk variables was examined, low crash risk perceptions were associated with DUI of all substances and low legal risk perceptions were associated with DUI of ecstasy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The observed reduction in DUI of psychostimulants among frequent ecstasy consumers may be related to increased risk awareness stemming from educational campaigns and the introduction of saliva testing on Australian roads. Such countermeasures may be less effective in relation to deterring or changing attitudes towards DUI of cannabis and alcohol among this group.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine (Psychology), University of Tasmania, Private Bag 30, Hobart 7000, TAS, Australia. Electronic address: Allison.Matthews@utas.edu.au.
authors.forename: Allison Jane
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Matthews
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine (Psychology), University of Tasmania, Private Bag 30, Hobart 7000, TAS, Australia.
authors.forename: Raimondo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bruno
authors.affiliation: Centre for Population Health, Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Rd, Melbourne 3004, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dietze
authors.affiliation: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Kerryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Butler
authors.affiliation: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Burns
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000523:psychology*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000009:adverse effects; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000009:adverse effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010465:Perception; D012309:Risk-Taking; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D008694:Methamphetamine; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine
keywords: Driving under the influence; Drug driving; Regular ecstasy users; Risk perceptions; Saliva testing