Role of drugs and alcohol in impaired drivers and fatally injured drivers in the Strathclyde police region of Scotland, 1995-1998

During the 4-year study period, 1995-1998, the Department of Forensic Medic ine and Science, University of Glasgow received a total of 752 biological s amples from drivers suspected of driving under the influence of drink and/o r drugs in the Strathclyde region of Scotland, The majority of samples were blood and had been primarily obtained from males. Drugs were detected in 6 8 and 90% of blood and urine samples, respectively. Toxicological analyses revealed that cannabis was the most frequently encountered illegal drug whi ch was detected in 39% of all drug positive blood samples. Benzodiazepines were detected in the majority of drug positive samples with 82% containing at least one member of this group. Polydrug use was prevalent, with the ave rage number of drugs detected per sample increasing from 2.0 in 1995 to 3.1 in 1998. For comparison, the results of toxicological analyses from 151 fa tally injured drivers are described. Although the majority of samples teste d negative for the presence of drugs and alcohol, drugs were found to be pr esent in 19% and alcohol was detected in 33%. As the majority of drugs had been prescribed or administered post-accident, this study shows that alcoho l was the main causative factor conducive to fatal road traffic accidents. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.