Licit and illicit drug use and driving among Canadian : prevalence and outcomes
Date
1995
Authors
Darling, Sean Dale
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Abstract
The author used data from the National Health and Welfare Canadian Survey on Drinking and Driving (1988) to examine the prevalence of driving following drug use and the impact this use has on traffic safety in Canada.
The prevalence of driving following drug use was found to be low except for alcohol. 12.6% of all drivers reported having driven after using alcohol alone or in combination with other substances. Using logistic regression analysis, it was found that age (younger persons) and gender (male) have the most consistent impact on traffic safety. Alcohol use was also found to have an impact on traffic safety when combined with over-the-counter medications (such as antihistamines), although the use of alcohol alone did not have as great an impact as anticipated. The use of illicit substances did not appear to have a major impact on traffic safety in Canada.