A new study released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reveals that evidence of drug use in drivers has increased over the past five years. The study evaluated coroner reports on drivers who were fatally injured in car crashes in 2009 and compared the data to reports from previous years.

In 2009, 63% of drivers who were killed in crashes were tested for the presence of drugs in their system and in 8% of the cases the test results were ambiguous or unknown. That left 3,952 drivers or 33% with positive test results for drugs in their system. The results show that the number of drivers with positive test results for drugs has risen steadily from 28% in 2005 to 33% in 2009.

NHTSA was careful to point out that the evidence of drug use did not indicate whether or not the driver was impaired nor did it imply that the drug use caused the crash, only that drugs were present in the driver’s system.

The study looked for specific drug types including: "nar¬cotics, depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, cannabinoids, phencyclidines (PCP), anabolic steroids, and inhalants." Alcohol and any drugs administered by medical personnel, prior to the driver's death, were not included in the study.

This study adds data to another NHTSA sponsored study conducted in 2007 in which drivers were stopped at random and asked to voluntarily provide blood and fluid samples. The results of that study showed that:

• 11% of daytime drivers were driving with some sort of drug in their system.


• 14.4% of night-time drivers were driving with some sort of drug in their system.

The 2007 survey also showed that, among those who showed evidence of illegal drugs in their system, there was also a higher incidence of alcohol use combined with those drugs.
Not all of the drugs tested are illegal. Stimulants and depressants are often prescribed by doctors for sleep disorders and psychological problems while steroids are prescribed for a variety of conditions. Narcotics are prescribed for chronic pain. The problems lie in the fact that drivers are often unaware that prescription and some over-the-counter, medications, primarily cold and allergy remedies, can impact their driving abilities.

Driver Education: Driving with a Cold or Flu

Some studies have also show that the prevalence of prescription marijuana laws in some states are leading many young people to believe that marijuana is a harmless drug and has little impact on their driving abilities when in fact, marijuana, just like alcohol, gives the user a false sense that their ability to drive or perform other complex tasks is greater than it actually is. Steroids and stimulants can make a driver nervous, edgy, and quick to anger which can lead to bad decisions and risky driving behavior.

States are having a hard time dealing with this issue and, in many cases, there are no specific laws to deal with a driver whose driving abilities may have been impaired by a legal prescription or over-the-counter medication. So, it is left up to the driver to ask their doctor or pharmacist what type of side effects a particular medication may have and how that medication may impact their driving abilities. Drivers who have a new medication prescribed to them should refrain from driving until they know exactly how that drug will affect them.

Labels: alert drivers, buzzed driving, over-the-counter medications, prescription drugs, prescription medication

An FDA panel met earlier this month to consider whether or not to require that common over-the-counter cough medications such as Robitussin or Nyquil be listed as prescription drugs.

The need for the review has come about due to the abuse of these drugs, primarily by teenagers, who are looking for a cheap "legal" way to get high. When taken as directed, in small doses, these drugs are safe and effective but, when taken in high doses, up to 25 times the recommended dose, they can cause hallucinations and mimic the effects of psychoactive drugs.

The practice of abusing these drugs is known as "robotripping", referring to Robitussin, one of the most commonly abused drugs. The high comes from the effects of the drug's active ingredient dextromethorphan (DXM) which is used in up to 100 common over-the-counter medications. DXM is chemically similar to codeine and the side effects from large doses can be very dangerous.

According to the website www.dxmstories.com common side effects can include:

• Confusion


• Dizziness


• Double or blurred vision


• Slurred speech


• Impaired physical coordination


• Abdominal pain Nausea and vomiting


• Rapid heart beat


• Drowsiness
  
• Numbness of fingers and toes


• Disorientation

DXM abusers describe different "plateaus" ranging from mild distortions of color and sound to visual hallucinations and "out-of-body," feelings of detachment from the environment and self, sensations, and loss of motor control.

When taken in very high doses, DXM can cause respiratory arrest leading to death. According to the FDA, DXM abuse resulted in approximately 8,000 emergency room visits in 2008.

Abuse of this drug can be hard to detect because parents may forget how much of this medication they had on hand and not notice how quickly it is disappearing. Parents need to be aware of this danger and look for warning signs in their children such as:

• Changes in mood or behavior Sudden drop in grades


• Sudden loss of friends


• Sleeping much more -- or much less,


• Loss of appetite


• Frequent nausea


• Becoming unusually secretive, or lying

Parents should also inventory the drugs in their medicine cabinets and throw out any that are old or expired. While convenient to have on hand, parents may want to consider purchasing these drugs only when needed for an illness and then throwing out the remainder after the illness has passed.

Labels: cough medicine, over-the-counter medications, teens

Thanks to public education by anti-drunk driving campaigns, the percentage of drunk drivers on our nation’s highways has been dramatically reduced. However, a new, and just as dangerous, problem is emerging regarding drugged drivers. The problem is more extensive than one might realize because drivers are drug impaired not only on illegal drugs such as marijuana and cocaine but on prescription and common over-the-counter medications. The problem exists because many do not realize that their legally prescribed or over-the-counter medications can have a serious impact on their driving abilities.

In 2007, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) sponsored a study to gauge the amount of alcohol and drug use on US roads. In this survey, drivers were stopped at random and asked to voluntarily provide oral fluid and blood samples. The researchers were looking for the percentage of drivers who were driving with drugs that could negatively affect their driving abilities including:

• alcohol level above the legal limitv


• any amount of alcohol in their system


• illegal drugs (controlled substances or illegally obtained prescription medications)


• medications (both prescribed and over-the-counter)

The survey’s results show that:

• 11% of daytime drivers were driving with some sort of drug in their system


• 14.4% of night-time drivers were driving with some sort of drug in their system.

The survey also showed that, among those who showed evidence of illegal drugs in their system, there was also a higher incidence of alcohol use combined with those drugs.

Legal Medications:

Four percent of drivers showed evidence of legal medications; both prescribed and over-the-counter. While low, that percentage shows that many drivers still don’t realize the effect that medications can have on their driving. Nor do they realize that they could possibly be arrested for DUI when driving under the influence of those medications alone.

Among those who tested positive for legal medications, 6.4% also tested positive for alcohol. That leads to additional problems because of the phenomenon known as “synergism” in which the effect of the alcohol can compound the drug’s effect or vice versa. For instance, something seemingly as harmless as taking aspirin, can, because of aspirin’s effect on the blood stream, allow the alcohol and its effects to reach the brain sooner.

Prescription medications:

A prescription drug's side effects can, in some cases, severely affect a driver’s abilities to safely operate a motor vehicle. Some commonly prescribed medications and their effects are:

Anti-depressants (Prozac, Zoloft)– These drugs regulate mood but can also affect sleep and mental clarity. Common side effects can include;


• Anxiety, restlessness, dizziness, tremors, sleepiness, and fatigue

Sedatives or Sleep Aids (Ambien) – Sleep aids are prescribed to combat insomnia or lack of sleep. Common side effects can include;


• Sleep-related behaviors, memory lapses, and hallucinations including “sleep-driving”, driving while not fully awake with no memory of the event.

Stop Smoking Aids (Chantix) – Stop smoking aids are designed to help smokers break the addiction of nicotine. Common side effects can include;


• Neuropsychiatric symptoms including changes in behavior, hostility, agitation, depressed mood, and suicide-related events. There have been some reports of violent behavior directed towards others.

Over-the-counter medications:

Antihistamines (Benadryl, Sudafed) – These medications are commonly taken to reduce the symptoms of colds or hay fever. Anti-histamines are divided into two groups:


• Generation 1 - with diphenhydramine as the active ingredient


• Generation 2 (non-drowsy) – with fexofenadine as the active ingredient
  Two different studies looking at the effects of these medications on drivers, compared with the effects of alcohol, found that those taking the “generation 1” antihistamines (Benadryl) performed worse than drivers who were legally drunk.
  Common side effects can include;


• Dizziness, drowsiness, excitability, headache, nervousness, and restlessness.

Cough Medicine (Robitusin) – These medications are taken to reduce coughing can, in large amounts, have a negative effect; in fact, over the past several years, they have been used as a cheap and legal way to get high. Common side effects can include;


• severe dizziness, anxiety, restless feeling, or nervousness, confusion, and hallucinations

Any medication that includes warnings such as “May cause drowsiness” or “Do not operate machinery while taking this medication” should not be taken if you plan to drive. Consult with your doctor or pharmacist about any medication’s side effects and wait until you know how the drug is going to affect you before driving. Taking these drugs and driving could lead to a DUI or worse; injuring or killing someone in a drug impaired collision.

Labels: alert drivers, buzzed driving, distracted driving, over-the-counter medications, prescription medication

As baby boomers reach retirement age, their medicine cabinets seem to become more and more crowded with all the medications needed to fight off the infirmities of old age. Blood pressure, heart problems, aches, and pains increase with every passing year and so do the visits to the doctor. Unfortunately, the AARP generation apparently isn't being warned about the effects that these medications may have on their ability to drive safely.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety sponsored a study conducted by the University of Alabama at Birmingham to assess the knowledge of older drivers regarding their medication use and the medication's effects on their driving. The study surveyed 630 Alabama adults aged 55 and over. Data from previous studies that served as a basis for this research showed that:

Senior citizens are safe drivers with one of the lowest collision rates among all age groups;

Older drivers have the highest collision rate per mile traveled because they tend to drive fewer miles and remain close to home.

Due to chronic medical conditions, older adults are often forced to take multiple medications that can potentially impact their ability to drive.

A recent survey found that medication use increases with age with 44% of men and 57% of woman aged 65 and older using five or more medications weekly.

The rate of older adults using multiple medications has increased from 54% in 1998 to 67% in 2003.

Research has reported that increased number of medical conditions is associated with increased risk of motor vehicle crashes among older adults.

The AAA study revealed that:

"The majority of those surveyed (92%) said driving was their preferred mode of transportation and 60% said they drove six or seven days per week.

95% of respondents reported having had one or more medical condition and respondents 75 and older reported the most medical conditions as well as taking the greatest number of potentially driver impairing medications.

78% of respondents reported using one or more medications, but only 28% acknowledged some awareness of the potential impact of these medications on driving performance.

19% of respondents reported using five or more medications and 12.1% reported taking five or more prescription medications.

Only 18% had received warnings about potentially driver impairing medications - include ACE inhibitors, sedatives, and beta blockers - from a healthcare professional.

• However, 69% currently use one or more prescription potentially driver impairing medication and 10% said they currently use five or more potentially driver-impairing medications.
  
  
• Of those using five or more potentially driver impairing medications, just 22% said they had some awareness of the potential impact on driving and only 19 percent received a warning from healthcare professional."
  

Older drivers and those with less education appeared to have the least awareness of the risks.

These findings are disturbing because it shows that health care professionals aren't taking the time to warn of the potential risks involved in these medications and those taking the medications aren't asking those critical questions. Many people don't realize that commonly prescribed and over-the-counter (OTC) medications can affect their ability to drive safely. Some may feel that these medications wouldn't be prescribed or deemed safe for sale over-the-counter if they posed any dangers however, under some conditions, a driver can be arrested for DUI when driving under the influence of these medications.

The study specifically addressed commonly prescribed medications such as beta blockers, ACE inhibitors and sedatives.

Beta Blockers are commonly prescribed to reduce blood pressure or to control abnormal heart rhythm. Some possible side effects of these medications can include:

• headache


• depression


• confusion


• dizziness


• hallucinations

ACE inhibitors are used to control blood pressure, prevent strokes and prevent kidney damage in those patients suffering from hypertension or diabetes. Possible side effects of these drugs include:

• low blood pressure


• dizziness


• drowsiness


• weakness

As people age they often encounter sleep problems and are sometimes prescribed sedatives. Sedatives obviously can affect driving and users should see how they react to the drug before driving. There have been reports of users of Ambien, a prescription sleep aid, walking, driving, and making midnight phone calls with no memory of the event the next day.

Common over-the-counter allergy and cold relief medications such as Benedryl cause drowsiness and can have as great an impact on your driving as alcohol.

Often, older people are prescribed different drugs from different doctors with no knowledge of how those medications may react with the other medications they are taking. Older drivers should inform their doctors of all the drugs they are taking and ask how those drugs may interact with others and what effect the medications may have on their driving. Concerned family members should get involved and help older relatives compile a list of their medications and ask about the side effects.

Pharmacists are also an excellent resource and sometimes may have an even better understanding of the medication's side effects than the physician. Pharmacists can keep a list of the medications you are taking and can warn of possible drug interactions and side effects.

It is always best to check with your physician or pharmacist but there are also on-line resources that can be of help. One of the best is http://www.drugs.com/. This free web site allows you to enter all your medications and lists side effects and possible interactions with other drugs you are taking that may affect your driving. You can also request to be notified by email of any Food and Drug Administration alerts on your medications.

Almost all of the common medications that older people take have warnings about consuming alcohol while taking the medication. Mixing alcohol and medications can have a increased impact on driving abilities and can cause a drug interaction that could be fatal.

Labels: adult driver, driver safety, mature driver, older drivers, over-the-counter medications, senior citizens, senior drivers, vehicle accidents

View Full Post posted by NSC - Traffic Safety : 9:59 AM