Social-cultural characteristics of DWI drivers compared with drug-alcohol-free drivers

Transcription

1 Social-cultural characteristics of DWI drivers compared with drug-alcohol-free drivers S. Zancaner, R. Giorgetti, G. Frison, Boscolo Mia, S.D. Ferrara Dipartimento di Medicina Ambientale e Sanità Pubblica, sede di Medicina Legale, Università degli Studi di Padova, via Falloppio n. 50, PADOVA, Italy. Abstract The study analyzes a population of drivers stopped during some highway police checks. The population has been divided into subgroups according to the presence of alcohol and drugs in the biological fluids. Social and cultural characteristics have been considered for each group. Introduction Some toxicological forensic tests have been carried out from 1997 to 2000 to prevent driving under the influence of alcohol or psychoactive substances, in collaboration with the Highway Police Department of Veneto and the Italian Red Cross. The tests have been done especially during weekend nights; the activity has been partially done within the project ROSITA (ROad SIde Testing Assessment), which is a multicentric European study. Car drivers have been stopped by the police, submitted to medical examinations, and samples of blood and/or urine have been taken. Toxicological tests have been done on biological samples to detect alcohol and psychoactive substances. The population studied has been divided into subgroups on the basis of the results of the toxicological analyses; the present work makes a comparison of social and cultural characteristics of car drivers belonging to each group. Materials and methods The population studied is made up of 1,977 subjects driving motor vehicles (1,894 males, 83 females); at least one sample of the biological fluids has been examined for each subject. Each subject has been informed about the methodology of the tests and the consequences of a possible refusal (punishment as if driving in a state of intoxication); then they have been submitted to a medical examination including collecting of general clinical details and samples of biological fluids; 1,748 blood samples and 1,702 urine samples have been taken. The following groups of subjects have been considered: from 10 to 80 mg/100 ml; over 80 mg/100 ml, sanctioned under Italian law for driving under the influence of alcohol (n.555); subjects sanctioned under Italian law for driving under the influence of psychoactive substances (n.241); subjects drug addicts but who were not found in a state of acute poisoning at the moment of the tests (n.78); drivers intoxicated by (n.98); drivers intoxicated by (n.165); drivers with < 10 mg/100 ml, selected as control sample (n.500); total population examined (n.1,977).

2 The following parameters have been considered in each group: gender, age, driving licence category, driving experience, marital status, job, place of origin, education. Results Social and cultural characteristics of the car drivers are reported in the following tables, in relation to the presence of alcohol or psychoactive substances in the biological fluids. Table 1. Alcohol and drugs in relation to the gender of drivers. Gender Male 95,8% 97,8% 94.48% 97,3% 97,1% 98,7% 97,96% 96,36% Female 4,2% 2,2% 5.52% 2,7% 2,9% 1,3% 2,04% 3,64% : no alcohol, no drugs : blood alcohol concentration : driving under the influence of drugs : drugs in urine; no drugs in blood, no clinical signs of intoxication. Table 2. Alcohol and drugs in relation to the age of drivers. Age (years) <20 12,44% 14,8% 12,1% 8,2% 13,28% 7,69% 9,18% 16,97% ,65% 38,8% 39,7% 35,32% 46,47% 47,44% 47,96% 49,70% ,24% 22,2% 29,51% 28,83% 23,24% 26,92% 23,47% 21,21% ,35% 16,2% 10,62% 14,77% 13,28% 11,54% 15,31% 10,30% >35 9% 7,8% 7,86% 12,43% 3,32% 5,13% 4,08% 1,82% Unknown 0,30% 0,2% 0,21% 0,54% 0,41% 1,28% 0% 0%

3 Table 3. Alcohol and drugs in relation to the driving experience. Driver Experienc e (years) Cocaine Cannabi s <1 5,97% 7,8% 5,73% 3,42% 7,47% 5,13% 3,06% 9,70% ,13% 36,4% 38,22% 29,19% 44,40% 41,02% 38,78% 52,12% ,23% 26,6% 32,27% 34,06% 25,31% 35,90% 27,55% 23,03% >10 25,95% 28,4% 21,87% 30,81% 20,75% 16,67% 27,55% 13,94% Unknown 1,72% 0,8% 1,91% 2,52% 2,07% 1,28% 3,06% 1,21% Table 4. Alcohol and drugs in relation to the driving licence. Driver Licence A motorcycle 0,35% 0,2% 0,42% 0.36% 0,41% 1,28% 0% 0,61% B car 83,8% 87,2% 83,23% 79,82% 87,97% 85,9% 88,77% 88,48% C little truck 7,19% 3,8% 7,22% 10,45% 7,06% 7,69% 7,15% 6,06% D Bus 3,04% 4% 3,61% 2,70% 2,08% 1,28% 2,04% 1,82% E Heavy truck 3,50% 3,2% 3,19% 4,69% 1,66% 1,28% 1,02% 2,42% None 0,76% 0,2% 0,85% 0,72% 0,41% 0% 1,02% 0% Other 0,45% 1% 0,42% 0,18% 0% 0% 0% 0% Unknown 0,91% 0,4% 1,06% 1,08% 0,41% 2,57% 0% 0,61%

4 Table 5. Alcohol and drugs in relation to the place of provenance. Place of provenance cannabi s amphet. Disco 37,13% 29,8% 43,31% 40,18% 35,69% 28,21% 41,84% 30,30% 68,19% Other public place 31,10% 28,4% 32,06% 36,58% 31,95% 26,92% 32,65% 32,73% 13,63% Private house 16,55% 18,4% 12,95% 12,61% 18,67% 29,49% 18,37% 20,61% 18,18% Other 14,56% 22,8% 10,62% 10,09% 13,69% 14,10% 7,14% 16,36% 0% Unknown 0,66% 0,6% 1,06% 0,54% 0% 1,28% 0% 0% 0% Table 6. Alcohol and drugs in relation to the marital status. Marital Status Populat Unmarrie d 86,9% 89% 85,57% 81,98% 92,12% 97,44% 92,86% 92,12% Married 9,20% 7,8% 10,19% 12,80% 6,22% 1,28% 4,08% 6,66% Legally separated 2,69% 2,2% 2,76% 3,06% 0,83% 0% 2,04% 0,61% Divorced 0,25% 0,2% 0,21% 1,08% 0% 0% 0% 0% Other 0,1% 0,2% 0,21% 0,36% 0,83% 0% 1,02% 0,61%

5 Unknown 0,86% 0,6% 1,06% 0,72% 0% 1,28% 0% 0% Table 7. Alcohol and drugs in relation to the employment status. Employment Status cannabi s Employed 87,26% 86% 87,48% 89,55% 90,04% 75,64% 93,88% 87,27% Unemployed 4,55% 3% 5,10% 3,42% 4,15% 7,70% 2,04% 5,45% Student 6,38% 9% 5,52% 4,87% 4,57% 15,38% 2,04% 6,67% Pensioner 0,15% 0,2% 0,21% 0,18% 0% 0% 0% 0% Other 0,80% 1,2% 0,42% 0,72% 0,83% 0% 1,02% 0,61% Unknown 0,86% 0,6% 1,27% 1,26% 0,41% 1,28% 1,02% 0% Table 8. Alcohol and drugs in relation to the educational level. Schooling NAN D Cocaine None 0,15% 0% 0% 0,36% 0% 0% 0% 0% Primary school 3,60% 2,6% 1,91% 6,31% 4,56% 1,28% 6,12% 1,82% Middle school 46,49% 42% 46,92% 47,57% 55,19% 43,59% 52,04% 56,97% Professional School 17,35% 16,4% 18,05% 18,20% 19,09% 12,83% 20,41% 18,79% High school 27,57% 33,6% 27,60% 21,98% 18,67% 35,90% 19,39% 20% Parauniversity degree 0,30% 0,4% 0,42% 0,54% 0% 1,28% 0% 0% University degree 2,88% 3,2% 3,61% 3,42% 1,25% 2,56% 1,02% 1,22% Other 0,55% 0,6% 0,64% 0,36% 0,41% 1,28% 0% 0,60% Unknown 1,11% 1,2% 0,85% 1,26% 0,83% 1,28% 1,02% 0,60%

6 Discussion and conclusion Nearly the whole population examined is composed of males (Table 1) who present intoxication by alcohol and psychoactive substances more often than females. Table n.2 describes the age parameter: there is a high prevalence of drug intoxication, in particular by, among the youngest subjects, who have even less experience in driving. Six percent of the whole population and 9.7 % of the subjects poisoned by have their driving licence less than a year. In the oldest subjects and in particular in subjects over 35, intoxication by alcohol is found more frequently. Eighteen percent of the subjects punished for driving in a state of dtunkenness had a driving licence for heavy transport (table 4). There is no difference in the place of origin among the groups of subjects: the use of alcohol and drugs is shared equally in all the environmental settings; in any case, to analyze the typology of the identified substances is more meaningful: % of the subjects under the influence of and 70 % of the subjects positive for amphetamines (22) were coming from a disco. In the general population 37,13 % of subjects were coming from a disco. Thus the population studied presents a high prevalence of subjects using psychoactive substances in a disco setting. Most subjects submitting to the saturday-night tests were single; they were more frequently found intoxicated by drugs than by alcohol. Those subjects married or separated, on the other hand, were more frequently found under the influence of alcohol than of drugs. Data about the employment of subjects are not meaningful. The social and cultural level of the examined population is not very high. Most subjects found intoxicated by alcohol and drugs had the lowest social and cultural level. The study outlines two kinds of people: the first made up of subjects from 18 to 25 years old, characterized by a more frequent use of psychoactive substances, in particular; the second made up of drivers over 35; most of them driving in a state of intoxication by alcohol. Identification of social and cultural characteristics of drivers represents an attempt to prevent driving in a state of intoxication or under the influence of psychoactive substances: a higher level of education seems to be a protective factor; yet no one can be considered completely exempt from the phenomenon. Data collected identify discos as places where psychoactive substances are frequently used; this fact is quite worrying since we know that intoxication by drugs can increase the risk of being involved in road accidents. Even drivers with a driving licence for heavy transport frequently consume alcohol and drugs. Thus we can conclude that the rare Italian street surveys are not sufficient to discourage these at-risk behaviours. Data collected, in relation to the peculiar population studied, are very different to data collected in other works carried out in Quebec (4), New Zealand (5) end Denmark (6). The procedures are not standardized, so data are difficult to compare. In Italy street surveys are rare and not uniform in procedures and tests, so it is very difficult to collect data that really describe phenomenon incidence, social and cultural characteristics of the drivers etc.; reliable data would be important to plan efficient protocols to educate and survey drivers and at least to prevent a lot of road accidents. References 1. Zancaner S, Giorgetti R, Fenato F, Rossi A, Tedeschi L, Snenghi R, Frison G, Montisci M, Tagliaro F, Meroni M, Giron G, Marigo M, Ferrara SD. Psychoactive substances and driving disability: epidemiological roadside survey in north-east Italy. In: Kloeden CN,

7 McLean AJ (Eds). Alcohol, s and Traffic Safety. Proceedings of the 13 th International Conference, Adelaide, Australia, 1995, pp Zancaner S, Giorgetti R, Dal Pozzo C, Molinari G, Snenghi R, Ferrara SD. Driving under the influence of drugs. Correlation between clinical signs and type of intoxication. In: Mercier-Guyon C (Ed). Alcohol, s and Traffic Safety, Proceedings of the 14 th International Conference, Annecy France, 1997, pp Ferrara SD. Alcol, droga, farmaci e incidenti stradali. CLEUP, Padova, Dussault C, Lemire AM, Bouchard J, Brault M. use among Québec drivers: The 1999 roadside survey. In: Fred H, Smith RB (Ed). Alcohol, s and Traffic Safety, Proceedings of the 15 th International Conference, Stockholm, Sweden, 2000, paper Keall MD, Frith WJ. Drink driving behaviour and its strategic implications in New Zealand. In: Mercier-Guyon C (Ed). Alcohol, s and Traffic Safety. Proceedings of the 14 th International Conference, Annecy, France, 1997, pp Bernhoft IM. Characteristics of drunken drivers in Denmark. Alcohol, s and Traffic Safety. In: Mercier-Guyon C (Ed). Alcohol, s and Traffic Safety. Proceedings of the 14 th International Conference, Annecy France, 1997, pp Riley SC, James C, Gregory D, Dingle H, Cadger M. Patterns of recreational drug use at dance events in Edinburgh, Scotland. Addiction 96, , 2001.