Drugs and driving in Vienna, Austria

Abstract

Drugs that affect the central nervous system are gen- in individuals driving vehicles have not been readily available for erally assumed to have the potential to impair driving ability. In a Vienna. retrospective survey, police files and the results of toxicological urine analysis from drivers suspected of driving under the influence The aim of this retrospective survey is to help elucidate the of drugs in Vienna from 1993 to 1996 were investigated. Decisive current situation of driving under the influence of illegal substances for police intervention was ''unsafe driving'' (swerving, hesitating, in the capital of Austria. going too slowly, etc.), driving at high speed within the city limits, driving through red lights or stop signs, and driving at night without lights. In one-fifth of the cases drivers caused a traffic accident. Methods Casting suspicion on driving under influence of drugs was mainly caused by impaired coordination of movements, bloodshot eyes, For this purpose, police files and results of toxicological urine slurred speech, drowsiness, conspicuous behavior, and changed analysis from drivers suspected of driving under the influence of pupils. In the majority of the study population more than two symp- drugs in Vienna from 1993 to 1996 were investigated. toms were recorded by police. In 94% of the cases police suspicions All the drivers were stopped for specific instances of reckless could be confirmed by toxicological urine analysis. driving. This included ''unsafe driving'' (swerving, hesitating, going too slowly, etc.), driving at high speed within the city limits,