Medicinal drug use and driving

In recent years, there has been increasing evidence pointing to a relationship between medicinal drug use and crash culpability. In particular, benzodiazepines and opioid analgesic are implicated in a considerable proportion of road crashes in Australia. There is also mounting concern about the potentially devastating effects of medicinal drug use in combination with an otherwise low-risk level of alcohol consumption. 13 healthy volunteers were recruited to this randomised double-blind placebo-controlled crossover study. Participants attended 8 sessions each in which they were administered three study drugs in unique combinations: (1) intravenous alcohol (target BAC=0.05g/100ml); (2) oral oxazepam 30mg; and (3) oral codeine 60mg. Driving ability was measured on a STISIM driving simulator before and after drug administration. Mixed-model analysis with repeated effects revealed significant impairment of driving on parameters such as standard deviation of the mean lateral lane position (SDLP, car-weaving tendency) and time-to-collision (TTC, speed/distance perception) after drug administration compared to placebo (no drug). Moreover, the deleterious effects were more pronounced in the poly-drug conditions. Acute therapeutic doses of oxazepam, alone and in combination with a social dose of alcohol, significantly impaired performance on a number of salient driving tasks and driving-related skills. As such, poly-medicinal drug use, even in the absence of alcohol, has the potential to cause deleterious effects on driver performance. These findings highlight the need for strategic educational campaigns regarding the risks of driving whilst taking prescribed medicines.

• Record URL:
  http://www.icadtsinternational.com/files/documents/2013_070.pdf
• 
• Authors:
  • Leung, S
  • Chapman, R
  • Bruno, R
  • Lenne, M
  • Haber, P
  • Lintzeris, N
• Conference:
  • International Conference on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety (T2013), 20th, 2013, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
• Publication Date: 2013-8

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 433-7
• Monograph Title: 20th International Conference on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety Conference Proceedings, 25-28 August 2013, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Brisbane, Australia

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alcohol effects; Driver performance; Drivers; Driving simulators; Drug effects; Drugged drivers; High risk drivers; Intoxication; Medication
• Uncontrolled Terms: Safe systems (road users)
• Geographic Terms: Australia
• ATRI Terms: Alcohol effects; Driver performance; Driving simulator; Drug driving; Drug effects; Medication
• ITRD Terms: 1680: Simulator (driving); 2205: Skill (road user)
• Subject Areas: Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01500759
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• Files: ITRD, ATRI
• Created Date: Dec 5 2013 8:47AM