DRUG INVOLVEMENT IN AUTOMOBILE DRIVER AND PEDESTRIAN FATALITIES

THE CASES PRESENTED WERE THOSE OF DRIVERS AND PEDESTRIANS FATALLY INJURED IN AUTO CRASHES WHO DID NOT RECEIVE EMERGENCY MEDICAL TREATMENT IN A HOSPITAL. BLOOD WAS ANALYZED FOR ALCOHOL AND OTHER VOLATILES: URINE AND BLOOD WERE ANALYZED FOR ACIDS, NEUTRALS, AND ORGANIC BASES; ANND THE LIVER WAS ANALYZED FOR ORGANIC BASES. THE LIVER WAS ALSO EXAMINED MICROSCOPICALLY FOR FATTY CHANGE AND CIRRHOSIS. IN THIS STUDY 61 PERCENT OF THE SINGLE-VEHICLE OPERATOR VICTIMS HAD SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF ALCOHOL IN THEIR BLOOD, AND 5 PERCENT HAD CONBINATIONS OF ALCOHOL AND A DRUG. IN THE MULTIPLE VEHICLE CRASHES 25 PERCENT OF THE OPERATOR VICTIMS SHOWED SIGNIFICANT BLOOD ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION AND NO OTHER DRUGS WERE DETECTED. OF THE OF THE PEDESTRIAN VICTIMS 54 PERCENT HAD SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF ALCOHOL IN THEIR BLOOD, 15 PERCENT HAD DETECTABLE AMOUNTS OF DRUGS OTHER THAN ALCOHOL, AND 6 PERCENT HAD BOTH ALCOHOL AND ANOTHER DRUG PRESENT. THE MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATION OF THE LIVERS INDICATED THAT OVER HALF OF THE DRIVERS AND PEDESTRIANS DISPLAYED CHANGES INDICATIVE OF A SEVERE ALCOHOL PROBLEM.

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    ,   United States 
  • Authors:
    • Turkrf
    • Mcbayaj
    • Hudsonp
  • Publication Date: 1974-1

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  • Accession Number: 00224615
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Source Agency: Highway Safety Research Institute
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Jul 16 2003 12:00AM