DRUG USE AND DRIVING RISK AMONG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

No studies have yet been made of high school drug users which determine the frequency of accidents and the frequency of drug related accidents, with comparisons of driving expose while under various drug effects. The present study attempts all of these tasks. Te study population was 1538 upper level high shcool students in Toronto, chosen at random. Anonymous questionnaire of known validity were used to collect information about drug use, accidents, violations, drug related accidents and violations, and numbers of drug-driving occasions. Of the 1538 students, 710 had driven in the past year. About 15% reported an accident and 20% a driving offence. Users of all drugs more often reported accidents than non-users but the results were statistically significant for tobacco, marihuana, opiates, speed, LSD and other hallucinogens. Only 2.7% had an alcohol-influenced accident and 2.0% a drug- influenced accident. Exposure to drinking and driving was far more common than drug use and driving (56% of students compared to 1 to 6%). When exposure to drug related driving occasions are considered LSD, tranquillizers and stimulants are themost dangerous drugs and they are more dangerous than alcohol. The infrequent use of drugs makes their total effect on accidents small compared to alcohol. /Author/

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00014575
• Corporate Authors:

  Pergamon Press, Incorporated

  Maxwell House, Fairview Park
  Elmsford, NY  United States  10523
• Authors:
  • Smart, R G
  • Fejer, D
• Publication Date: 1976-2

Media Info

• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 33-38
• Serial:
  • Accident Analysis & Prevention
  • Volume: 8
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0001-4575
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00014575

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alcohols; Crash rates; Data collection; Drugs; Drunk drivers; Drunk driving; High schools; Highway safety; Psychotropic agents; Questionnaires; Stimulants; Students; Traffic crashes; Traffic violators; Tranquilizers
• Old TRIS Terms: Lsd
• Subject Areas: Education and Training; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00131671
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 5 1976 12:00AM