Alcohol and illicit drugs in drivers involved in road traffic crashes in Italy. An 8-year retrospective study. (December 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Barone, Rossella; Pelletti, Guido; Garagnani, Marco; Giusti, Alessio; Marzi, Mattia; Rossi, Francesca; Roffi, Raffaella; Fais, Paolo; Pelotti, Susi
• Is Part Of: Forensic science international. Volume 305(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-12
• Subjects: Driving under the influence -- Alcohol -- Drugs -- Blood concentrations -- Road crash; Medical jurisprudence -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Forensic -- Periodicals; Forensic Medicine -- Periodicals; Médecine légale -- Périodiques; Chimie légale -- Périodiques; Gerechtelijke geneeskunde; Gerechtelijke chemie; Gerechtelijke psychiatrie; Chemistry, Forensic; Medical jurisprudence; Electronic journals; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 614.1
• DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2019.110004
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0379-0738

Abstract

Highlights: The prevalence of alcohol and illicit drugs in the blood of drivers was studied. 7593 injured drivers from 2011 to 2018 were included in the study. The highest prevalence was found for alcohol (16.2%) followed by cocaine (2.5%). A progressive increase in the number of alcohol-positive female drivers was observed. Illicit drugs showed the highest prevalence in drivers <26 years old. Abstract: This study aims to investigate the prevalence of alcohol and drugs of abuse in Italian drivers involved in road traffic crashes between 2011 and 2018. Toxicological analyses were performed on the whole blood of 7593 injured drivers. Alcohol and illicit drugs, namely tetrahydrocannabinol (THC; cut-off 2 ng/ml), cocaine (cut-off 10 ng/ml), illicit opiates (cut-off 10 ng/ml) and amphetamines (amphetamine, methamphetamine, MDMA, MDA; cut-off 20 ng/ml) were investigated. The age and gender of the driver, the time of the crash (weekend/weekday and day/night), the road crash year and Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) were also considered. The 16.2% of samples tested positive for alcohol, 2.5% for cocaine, followed by opiates (2.0%), cannabinoids (1.5%), and amphetamines (0.5%). The overall prevalence of alcohol and drugs was lower than those reported in previous epidemiological studies of the DRUID project. The year 2011 showed the highest prevalence of drug-positive cases (24.1%), while the lowest prevalence was found in 2016 (16.8%), after the update of the Road Traffic Law (RTL) that increased punishments for driving under the influence. A progressive increase in the number of alcohol-positive female drivers was observed from 2011 to 2018, and the highest prevalence was found in the 26–35-year-old age range. Illicit drugs showed the highest overall prevalence in drivers <26 years of age but, if considering single drugs, cocaine and opiates were mostly found in subjects older than 36 years of age. A higher percentage of drug-positive drivers was found on weekend nights for alcohol and on both weekend and weekday nights for drugs. The types of drugs used by drivers did not change during the studied period.