Prescription drugs, drugged driving and per se laws

Introduction The 2007 National Roadside Survey found that the prevalence of drugs in weekend nighttime drivers in the USA was 16.4%-higher than 12.3% who tested positive for alcohol-bringing attention to the large potential for drugged driving. 1 Research and public attention related to drugged driv...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Injury prevention 2013-06, Vol.19 (3), p.218-221
Main Authors: Voas, Robert B, DuPont, Robert L, Shea, Corinne L, Talpins, Stephen K
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alcoholic Intoxication - blood
Automobile Driving - legislation & jurisprudence
Biological and medical sciences
Driving ability
Drug testing
Drug use
Drunk driving
Ethanol - blood
Humans
Law Enforcement - methods
Medical sciences
Miscellaneous
Police
Prescription drugs
Prescription Drugs - administration & dosage
Prescription Drugs - adverse effects
Prevention and actions
Public health. Hygiene
Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine
Substance Abuse Detection - legislation & jurisprudence
Substance Abuse Detection - methods
Traffic accidents & safety
United States
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Summary:Introduction The 2007 National Roadside Survey found that the prevalence of drugs in weekend nighttime drivers in the USA was 16.4%-higher than 12.3% who tested positive for alcohol-bringing attention to the large potential for drugged driving. 1 Research and public attention related to drugged driving was stimulated by the Office of National Drug Control Policy in its 2010 National Drug Control Strategy, encouraging all states to enact per se drugged driving laws. 2 National attention on drugged driving led to calls for the testing for drugs as well as alcohol of all drivers arrested for suspicion of impaired driving. 3 Wider use of drug testing has facilitated the recent development of more sensitive on-site drug tests which police officers can use at the station house or at the roadside to immediately test drivers for recent drug use. 3 These factors suggest that there will be a significant increase in the numbers of individuals identified, prosecuted and convicted of drugged driving. Over the decades since, all but two states (Hawaii and New York) have added drugs to this basic DUI alcohol law. 8 While a physician's prescription makes it legal for a person to use a controlled drug for medical purposes, it does not authorise individuals to drive while impaired. [...]if drivers are impaired due to a prescribed controlled drug, they are subject to arrest and prosecution for DUI.
ISSN:1353-8047
1475-5785
DOI:10.1136/injuryprev-2012-040498