Drunk, drugged driving! How dangerous is it?

CEBU, Philippines - “Have one [drink/hit] for the road” is a commonly used phrase in our culture. It has only been recently that we have begun to recognize the dangers associated with drunk/drugged driving. Only through a multipronged and concerted effort involving many stakeholders, including educators, media, legislators, law enforcement, and community organizations, will we ever see a decline in the numbers of people killed or injured as a result of drunk/drugged driving. It is now time that we recognize and address the similar dangers that can occur with drugged driving. The principal concern regarding drugged driving is that driving under the influence of any drug that acts on the brain could impair one’s motor skills, reaction time, and judgment. Drugged driving is a public health concern because it puts not only the driver at risk, but also passengers and others who share the road.

Despite these acknowledged concerns, drugged driving laws have lagged behind alcohol and drug legislation, in part because of limitations in the current technology for determining drug levels, and resulting impairment. For alcohol, detection of its blood concentration is relatively simple and concentrations greater than .08% have been shown to impair driving performance. Thus, 0.08% should be the legal limit in this country. For illicit drugs, there is no agreed upon limit for which impairment has been reliably demonstrated. And determining current drug levels can be difficult, since some drugs linger in the body for a period of days or weeks after initial ingestion.

How Many People Take Drugs and Drive?

Continued substance abuse education, prevention, and law enforcement efforts are critical to public health and safety. According surveys an estimated 4 percent of the world’s population age 12 and older have driven under the influence of alcohol and other drugs. The percentage rate was highest among young adults age 18 to 25 (12.3 percent). In addition (from a worldwide survey done in 2008):

• An estimated 12.4 percent of persons age 12 and older drove under the influence of alcohol at least once in the past year.

• Driving under the influence of an illicit drug or alcohol was associated with age. An estimated 7.2 percent of youth age 16 or 17 drove under the influence. This percentage steadily increased with age to reach a peak of 26.1 percent among young adults age 21 to 25. Beyond the age of 25, these rates showed a general decline with increasing age.

• Among persons age 12 and older, males were nearly twice as likely as females (16.0 percent versus 9.0 percent) to drive under the influence of an illicit drug or alcohol in the past year.

In recent years, more attention has been given to drugs other than alcohol that have increasingly been recognized as hazards to road traffic safety. Some of this research has been done in other all over the world, and the prevalence rates for different drugs used varies accordingly. Overall, marijuana is the most prevalent illegal drug detected in impaired drivers, fatally injured drivers, and motor vehicle crash victims. Other drugs also implicated include benzodiazepines, cocaine, opiates, and metamphetamines.

A number of studies have examined illicit drug use in drivers involved in motor vehicle crashes, reckless driving, or fatal accidents. For example:

• One study found that about 34 percent of motor vehicle crash victims tested positive for “drugs only”; about 16 percent tested positive for “alcohol only.” Approximately 9.9 percent (or 1 in 10) tested positive for alcohol and drugs, and within this group, 50 percent were younger than age 18.

• Studies conducted in several countries have found that approximately 4 to 14 percent of drivers who sustained injury or died in traffic accidents tested positive for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in marijuana.

• In a large study of almost 3,400 fatally injured drivers between 1990 and 1999, drugs other than alcohol were present in 26.7 percent of the cases. These included cannabis (13.5 percent), stimulants (4.9 percent), opioids (4.1 percent), benzodiazepines (4.1 percent), and other psychotropic drugs (2.7 percent). Almost 10 percent of the cases involved both alcohol and drugs.

• According to surveys vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death among young people age 16 to 19. It is generally accepted that because teens are the least experienced drivers as a group, they have a higher risk of being involved in an accident compared with more experienced drivers. When this lack of experience is combined with the use of marijuana or other substances that impact cognitive and motor abilities, the results can be tragic.

Why is Drugged Driving Hazardous?

Drugs acting on the brain can alter perception, cognition, attention, balance, coordination, reaction time, and other faculties required for safe driving. The effects of specific drugs of abuse differ depending on their mechanisms of action, the amount consumed, the history of the user, and other factors.

Marijuana

THC affects areas of the brain that control the body’s movements, balance, coordination, memory, and judgment, as well as sensations. Because these effects are multifaceted, more research is required to understand marijuana’s impact on the ability of drivers to react to complex and unpredictable situations. However, we do know that:

• Evidence from both real and simulated driving studies indicates that marijuana can negatively affect a driver’s attentiveness, perception of time and speed, and the ability to draw on information obtained from past experiences.

• A study of over 3000 fatally-injured drivers showed that when marijuana was present in the blood of the driver they were much more likely to be at fault for the accident. And the higher the THC concentration, the more likely they were to be culpable.

• Research shows that impairment increases significantly when marijuana use is combined with alcohol. Studies have found that many drivers who test positive for alcohol also test positive for THC, making it clear that drinking and drugged driving are often linked behaviors.

Other Drugs

• Prescription drugs: Many medications (e.g., benzodiazepines and opiate analgesics) act on systems in the brain that could impair driving ability. In fact, many prescription drugs come with warnings against the operation of machinery—including motor vehicles—for a specified period of time after use. When prescription drugs are taken without medical supervision (i.e., when abused), impaired driving and other harmful reactions can also result.

• Methamphetamins has also contributed to deaths and injury in vehicular accidents, most specially when the person has gone for a day without any sleep.

In short, drugged driving is a dangerous activity that puts us all at risk. For more information please feel free to contact us anytime at 032-2389143 or 032-2315229 ?