NTL Record

Title The Role Alcohol, Marijuana and Other Drugs in the Accidents of Injured Drivers [Conference Paper]
Record ID 25633
Personal Name
Creator
Terhune, K. W.; Fell, James C.
Source 19 p. in various pagings : ill.
Corporate Creator Calspan Field Services; National Center for Statistics and Analysis (U.S.)
Corporate
Contributor
United States. Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Publisher United States. Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Publication Date 19820300
Language English
Abstract A study was conducted of 497 drivers injured in a motor vehicle accident and treated at a hospital. The objectives were to determine the incidence of alcohol and other drugs in their blood systems at the time of the crash and the role these drugs may have played in the accident. The sample was considered conservative with respect to alcohol/drug incidence since only drivers who consented to a blood sample analysis were included. The results showed that fully 38 percent of the drivers had alcohol or some other drug in their systems; alcohol was found in 25 percent, tetrahydrocannabinol in 9.5 percent and tranquilizers in 7.5 percent. Ten percent of the drivers had ingested two or more drugs. It was found that legally intoxicated drivers (BAC greater than or equal to .10 percent) had the highest culpability rate (74 percent) followed by drivers with lower alcohol levels (54 percent) and with THC (53 percent). The drug-free drivers in contrast had a culpability rate of 34 percent while the drivers with tranqulizers were judged culpable in 22 percent of their accidents. Compared with the drug-free drivers, the alcohol-involved drivers were overrepresented in single-vehicle accidents and in the striking vehicles of rearend and head-on crashes. The "alcohol accident type" with the highest incidence (95 percent) of alcohol involvement was a single-vehicle crash between midnight and 6 AM on a curve. /Abstract from report summary page/
Rosap ID dot:1349
Rosap URL https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/1349
TRT Terms Blood analysis; Drunk drivers; Drugged drivers; Traffic crashes; Alcohols; Marijuana; Tranquilizers; Crash data
General Subjects Impaired driving, Alcohol; Impaired driving, Drugs
Classification NTL - SAFETY AND SECURITY - SAFETY AND SECURITY;
NTL - SAFETY AND SECURITY - Accidents;
NTL - SAFETY AND SECURITY - Highway Safety;
NTL - SAFETY AND SECURITY - Human Factors
Geographical
Coverage
United States
TRIS Online
Accession No
00367274
Contract Number DOT-HS-5-01179
Report Number DOT-HS-806-181; NTIS-PB82232232
Availability NHTSA - Behavioral Safety Research
Resource type Tech Report
URL https://ntlrepository.blob.core.windows.net/lib/25000/25600/25633/DOT-HS-806-181.pdf
Format PDF
Database NTL Digital Repository