RESEARCH REPORT

You have free access to this content

Prevalence of alcohol and other drugs in fatally injured drivers

  1. Joanne E. Brady1,2,
  2. Guohua Li1,2,*

Article first published online: 20 AUG 2012

DOI: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2012.03993.x

Issue

Addiction

Addiction

Volume 108, Issue 1, pages 104–114, January 2013

Additional Information

How to Cite

Brady, J. E. and Li, G. (2013), Prevalence of alcohol and other drugs in fatally injured drivers. Addiction, 108: 104–114. doi: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2012.03993.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Anesthesiology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA

  2. 2

    Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA

* Correspondence to: Guohua Li, Columbia University, 622 West 168thSt., PH5-505, New York, NY 10032, USA. E-mail: gl2240@mail.cumc.columbia.edu

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 26 DEC 2012
  2. Article first published online: 20 AUG 2012
  3. Accepted manuscript online: 22 JUN 2012 05:45AM EST
  4. Manuscript Accepted: 15 JUN 2012
  5. Manuscript Revised: 15 FEB 2012
  6. Manuscript Received: 10 NOV 2011

Funded by

  • National Institute on Drug Abuse. Grant Number: DA029670
  • National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health. Grant Number: AA009963

SEARCH

SEARCH BY CITATION

ARTICLE TOOLS

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (169K)

Keywords:

  • Accidents;
  • traffic;
  • alcohol consumption;
  • cannabinoids;
  • drug users;
  • motor vehicles;
  • prescription drugs;
  • safety

Abstract

Aim

This study aims to examine the prevalence of alcohol and/or other drugs (AOD) in a large sample of fatally injured drivers.

Design

Using data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System for 2005–09, the authors examined the prevalence of AOD detected in fatally injured drivers in the United States.

Setting

Fatal motor vehicle crashes occurring on public roads.

Participants

Drivers who died within 1 hour of the crash in 14 states that performed toxicological testing on more than 80% of these drivers.

Measurements

The prevalence of AOD and multivariable-adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR).

Findings

Of the 20 150 fatally injured drivers studied, 57.3% tested positive for AOD, including 19.9% being positive for two or more substances. Alcohol was the most commonly detected substance, present in 40.2% of the fatally injured drivers, followed by cannabinols (10.5%), stimulants (9.0%), narcotics (5.7%) and depressants (4.0%). Multivariable analysis revealed that AOD was significantly more prevalent among drivers who died in single-vehicle crashes [aPR 1.69, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.62–1.76] or night-time crashes (aPR 1.43, 95% CI: 1.39–1.47), or who had a driving-while-intoxicated conviction within the past 3 years (aPR 1.41, 95% CI: 1.35–1.47), and less prevalent among drivers who were 65 years or older (aPR 0.45, 95% CI: 0.42–0.49), Asian (aPR 0.47, 95% CI 0.41–0.53) or female (aPR 0.88, 95% CI: 0.85–0.91) or who were operating a motor carrier (aPR 0.41, 95% CI 0.34–0.48).

Conclusions

More than half of fatally injured drivers in the United States had been using AOD and approximately 20% had been using polydrugs. The prevalence of AOD use varies significantly with driver and crash characteristics.

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (169K)