The use of alcohol and other psychoactive substances by victims of trafficaccidents in Greece

Alcohol is one of the main causes of traffic accidents worldwide. Its use d ecreases significantly the driving ability of an individual as well as the reflexes of a pedestrian increasing in this way the possibilities of their involvement in motor-vehicle accidents. The above possibilities are increas ed when a psychoactive substance has been taken in combination with alcohol due to their synergistic effect. The Laboratory of Forensic Medicine and T oxicology of the University of Athens is authorized to perform the toxicolo gical investigation of traffic accidents that happen in the major part of G reece. The findings of the toxicological analyses that were performed in ou r laboratory during the years 1995 to 1997 are classified according to the alcohol concentration and the kind of psychoactive substance detected as we ll as to the gender and the age of the victims, drivers or pedestrians. The results of the above classification are evaluated and the conclusions rega rding alcohol, drugs and traffic accidents in Greece are discussed thorough ly. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.