Trends in drug use among drivers killed in U.S. traffic crashes, 1999-2010

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Accid Anal Prev
• Personal Author:
  Rudisill, Toni M. ; Zhao, Songzhu ; Abate, Marie A. ; Coben, Jeffrey H. ; Zhu, Motao
• Description:
  Objective
  
  Driving under the influence of drugs is a global traffic safety and public health concern. This trend analysis examines the changes in general drug usage other than alcohol, broad categories, and typical prescription and illegal drugs among drivers fatally injured in motor vehicle crashes from 1999-2010 in the U.S.
  
  Methods
  
  Data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System were analyzed from 1999-2010. Drug prevalence rates and prevalence ratios (PR) were determined comparing rates in 2009-2010 to 1999-2000 using a random effects model. Changes in general drug usage, broad categories, and representative prescription and illegal drugs including, methadone, oxycodone, hydrocodone, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and cocaine, were explored.
  
  Results
  
  Comparing 2009-2010 to 1999-2000, prevalence of drug usage increased 49% (PR=1.49; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.42, 1.55). The largest increases in broad drug categories were narcotics (PR=2.73; 95% CI 2.41, 3.08), depressants (PR=2.01; 95% CI 1.80, 2.25), and cannabinoids (PR=1.99; 95% CI 1.84, 2.16). The PR was 6.37 (95% CI 5.07, 8.02) for hydrocodone/oxycodone, 4.29 (95% CI 2.88, 6.37) for methadone, and 2.27 (95% CI 2.00, 2.58) for benzodiazepines. Barbiturates declined in rate over the 12-year period (PR=0.53; 95% CI 0.37, 0.75). Cocaine use increased until 2005 then progressively declined, though the rate remained relatively unchanged (PR=0.94; 95% CI 0.84, 1.06).
  
  Conclusions
  
  While more drivers are being tested and found drug-positive, there is evidence that a shift from illegal to prescription drugs may be occurring among fatally injured drivers in the U.S. Driving under the influence of prescription drugs is a growing traffic concern.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Accidents, Traffic Adolescent Adult Aged Aged, 80 And Over Automobile Driving Databases, Factual Female Humans Male Middle Aged Models, Statistical Prevalence Substance-Related Disorders United States Young Adult

  More +
• Keywords:
  Accidents Drugs Epidemiology Trends
• Source:
  Accid Anal Prev. 2014; 70:178-187
• Pubmed ID:
  24793428
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC4064831
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Funding:
  R49CE002109/ACL/ACL HHSUnited States/ ; R01HD074594/HD/NICHD NIH HHSUnited States/ ; R49 CE002109/CE/NCIPC CDC HHSUnited States/ ; R21 CE001820/CE/NCIPC CDC HHSUnited States/ ; R21CE001820/CE/NCIPC CDC HHSUnited States/ ; R49CE002109/CE/NCIPC CDC HHSUnited States/ ; R01 HD074594/HD/NICHD NIH HHSUnited States/
• Volume:
  70
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:67d875e9acce72b7ea054f30e83d2e76d6b359bec60a02add530d5d282492f58
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/30006/cdc_30006_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.79 MB ]