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Professional Drivers’ Knowledge About the Influence of Medicines that May Impair Driving. SERBIAN JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL AND CLINICAL RESEARCH 2022. [DOI: 10.2478/sjecr-2021-0078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
More knowledge about the impact of medication on driving are indicative of a lower likelihood of having a motor vehicle crash. The aim of this study was to investigate knowledge of professional drivers about the influence of driving impairing medicines in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
This multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted in 6 cities in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, during first trimester of 2017, with 221 professional drivers, using questionnaire with 35 statements, where participants expressed their agreement according to Likert scale, from completely disagree to completely agree.
The average score related to the drivers’ knowledge was 131,58 (range from 49 to 175), 22,6% were unaware that some medicines may influence psychophysical abilities and ability to drive. A high percentage of participants in the study don’t know that a negative impact on the driving ability can be the result of the use of medicines from groups for which it is unexpected to have such effects, medicines that are dispensed without a medical prescription, herbal remedies, dietary supplements and medicines that affects eyesight or hearing. More than half didn’t know that medicines labeled with warning symbols Δ, ▲ and § are not allowed to be used immediately before or during driving.
Professional drivers’ knowledge about driving impairing medicines is not satisfactory. Labeling system of these medicines is inadequate. These findings could help to identify drivers, who are at increased risk for using potentially impairing medicines, to inform and educate them, and to prevent driving under the influence of medicines.
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Drug consumption of suspected drug-influenced drivers in Hungary (2016-2018). Forensic Sci Int 2022; 336:111325. [DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2022.111325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Tabibi Z, Schwebel DC, Moghaddam AM, Fadardi JS, Feizabadi SM. Differential effects of stimulant versus opiate drugs on driving performance. ACCIDENT; ANALYSIS AND PREVENTION 2021; 150:105885. [PMID: 33271373 DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2020.105885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 10/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/07/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Pharmacological differences among different drug classes influence human cognition, visual, and motor behavior in different ways. These differences impact driving safety, and therefore individuals who use stimulant and opioid drugs might experience different patterns in driving safety and impairment in driving performance. This study examined the effect of long-term use of stimulant drugs and of opiate drugs on driving performance, hazard perception, visual search skills and psychomotor skills related to driving. METHODS A total of 75 individuals, including 28 predominantly stimulant users, 22 predominantly opiate users and 25 healthy non-drug users, participated. Driving performance and psychomotor skills were assessed via a 15-minute drive in a simulator; hazard perception was assessed via a computerized task; and visual search skill was assessed by eye tracking. RESULTS ANOVA analyses indicate both stimulant and opiate users drove at higher speeds and experienced more crashes than the healthy non-drug users. Stimulant but not opiate users violated red light regulations more often than the healthy non-drug users. In the hazard perception task, stimulant drug users performed more poorly than both opioid drug users and healthy non-drug users. Specifically, they had lower saccade movement scores and higher average fixation times. CONCLUSIONS Results confirm that both stimulant drug users and opiate drug users show impaired driving performance compared to healthy non-drug users. Stimulant drug users possessed poorer hazard perception skills compared to the opiate users and the control group, perhaps as a result of cognitive deficits created by the drug use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Tabibi
- Department of Psychology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran.
| | - David C Schwebel
- University Professor in Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA.
| | | | - Javad Salehi Fadardi
- Department of Psychology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran; Claremont Graduate University, USA; Honorary Research Fellow in Psychology, Bangor University, UK.
| | - Sara Mirzaei Feizabadi
- Department of Psychology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran; Department of Psychology, Shiraz University, Iran.
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Zeng C, Wang W, Chen C, Zhang C, Cheng B. Sex Differences in Time-Domain and Frequency-Domain Heart Rate Variability Measures of Fatigued Drivers. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:E8499. [PMID: 33212769 PMCID: PMC7696627 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17228499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The effects of fatigue on a driver's autonomic nervous system (ANS) were investigated through heart rate variability (HRV) measures considering the difference of sex. Electrocardiogram (ECG) data from 18 drivers were recorded during a simulator-based driving experiment. Thirteen short-term HRV measures were extracted through time-domain and frequency-domain methods. First, differences in HRV measures related to mental state (alert or fatigued) were analyzed in all subjects. Then, sex-specific changes between alert and fatigued states were investigated. Finally, sex differences between alert and fatigued states were compared. For all subjects, ten measures showed significant differences (Mann-Whitney U test, p < 0.01) between different mental states. In male and female drivers, eight and four measures, respectively, showed significant differences between different mental states. Six measures showed significant differences between males and females in an alert state, while ten measures showed significant sex differences in a fatigued state. In conclusion, fatigue impacts drivers' ANS activity, and this impact differs by sex; more differences exist between male and female drivers' ANS activity in a fatigued state than in an alert state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Zeng
- College of Information Science and Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China;
| | - Wenjun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Automotive Safety and Energy, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; (C.Z.); (B.C.)
- School of Vehicle and Mobility, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Chaoyang Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA;
| | - Chaofei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Automotive Safety and Energy, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; (C.Z.); (B.C.)
- School of Vehicle and Mobility, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Bo Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Automotive Safety and Energy, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; (C.Z.); (B.C.)
- School of Vehicle and Mobility, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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Leyton V, Bombana HS, Magalhães JG, Panizza HN, Sinagawa DM, Takitane J, Carvalho HBD, Andreuccetti G, Yonamine M, Gjerde H, Muñoz DR. Trends in the use of psychoactive substances by truck drivers in São Paulo State, Brazil: A time-series cross sectional roadside survey (2009-2016). TRAFFIC INJURY PREVENTION 2019; 20:122-127. [PMID: 30933546 DOI: 10.1080/15389588.2018.1552786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2018] [Revised: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 11/21/2018] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Truck drivers represent a group that is susceptible to the use of stimulant substances to reduce the symptoms of fatigue, which may be caused by a stressful and exhausting work environment. The use of psychoactive substances may increase the risk for involvement in road traffic crashes. Previous studies have demonstrated that amphetamine, cocaine, and cannabis are the 3 main drugs used by Brazilian truck drivers. We studied the prevalence of amphetamine, benzoylecgonine (indicating use of cocaine), and Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid (THC-COOH; indicating use of cannabis) in urine samples from truck drivers in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, using the same methodology during 8 years (2009-2016). METHODS Samples were collected during a health program supported by the Federal Highway Police. Toxicological analyses were performed using immunoassays and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. RESULTS The total prevalence of illicit drugs was 7.8%. Benzoylecgonine was the most prevalent substance (3.6%), followed by amphetamine (3.4%) and THC-COOH (1.6%). We found the highest drug prevalence in 2010 (11.3%) and the lowest in 2011 (6.1%). We could detect a slight change in the pattern of stimulant use: until 2010, amphetamine was the most prevalent substance; however, in 2011 benzoylecgonine became the most frequently detected substance. This lasted until 2015, probably due to changes in Brazilian legislation regarding appetite suppressants; the most common one is metabolized to amphetamine. CONCLUSION These data show that the use of psychoactive substances by truck drivers in Brazil did not decrease during the study period. This reinforces the need for further preventive measures to reduce drug use among drivers, which could lead to a decrease in traffic crashes in Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vilma Leyton
- a Faculty of Medicine , University of São Paulo , São Paulo , Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | - Juliana Takitane
- a Faculty of Medicine , University of São Paulo , São Paulo , Brazil
| | | | | | - Mauricio Yonamine
- b Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences , University of São Paulo , São Paulo , Brazil
| | - Hallvard Gjerde
- c Department of Forensic Sciences , Oslo University Hospital , Nydalen , Oslo , Norway
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Webster JM, Dickson MF, Mannan F, Staton M. Characteristics of Prescription-Opioid-Impaired and Other Substance-Impaired Drivers in Rural Appalachian Kentucky. J Psychoactive Drugs 2018; 50:373-381. [PMID: 30204565 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2018.1514477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies have highlighted the prescription opioid epidemic in rural Appalachia and its associated risk behaviors; however, no studies have examined prescription-opioid-impaired driving as a consequence of this epidemic. The purpose of the present study was to describe prescription-opioid-impaired drivers in rural Appalachian Kentucky and examine how they are similar to and different from other substance-impaired drivers from the region. A sample of convicted DUI offenders from rural Appalachian Kentucky completed a confidential research interview focused on their substance use, mental health, and criminal activity. Prescription-opioid-impaired drivers (n = 33) were compared to other drug-impaired drivers (n = 29) and to alcohol-only-impaired drivers (n = 44). Overall, prescription-opioid-impaired drivers had a similar prevalence of illicit substance use and criminal activity, including impaired driving frequency, to other drug-impaired drivers, but had a higher prevalence of illicit substance use and more frequent impaired driving when compared to alcohol-only-impaired drivers. Study implications include the importance of comprehensive substance abuse assessment and treatment for DUI offenders and the need for tailored interventions for prescription-opioid-impaired and other drug-impaired drivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Matthew Webster
- a Department of Behavioral Science and Center on Drug and Alcohol Research , University of Kentucky , Lexington , KY , USA
| | - Megan F Dickson
- b Center on Drug and Alcohol Research , University of Kentucky , Lexington , KY , USA
| | - Faiyad Mannan
- c College of Medicine , University of Kentucky , Lexington , KY , USA
| | - Michele Staton
- a Department of Behavioral Science and Center on Drug and Alcohol Research , University of Kentucky , Lexington , KY , USA
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Bombana HS, Gjerde H, Dos Santos MF, Jamt REG, Yonamine M, Rohlfs WJC, Muñoz DR, Leyton V. Prevalence of drugs in oral fluid from truck drivers in Brazilian highways. Forensic Sci Int 2017; 273:140-143. [PMID: 28273545 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2017.02.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2016] [Revised: 02/05/2017] [Accepted: 02/22/2017] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Traffic accidents are responsible for 1.25 million deaths worldwide and are the most common cause of death among those aged 15-29 years. In Brazil, traffic accidents caused more than 44,000 deaths in 2014. The use of psychoactive drugs is an important risk factor for being involved in traffic accidents. Previous studies have found that psychoactive substances are commonly used by truck drivers in Brazil to maintain their extensive work schedule and stay awake while driving during nighttime hours. The state of Sao Paulo is one of the most important states regarding goods transportation. Important highways cross through Sao Paulo to other regions from Brazil and to other countries in Latin America. This study aims to determine the prevalence of illicit drug use by truck drivers in the state of Sao Paulo through toxicological analyses of oral fluid. Truck drivers were randomly stopped by police officers on federal roads during morning hours. Oral fluid samples were collected using the Quantisal™ device. In addition, a questionnaire concerning sociodemographic characteristics and health information was administered. Oral fluid samples were screened for amphetamine, cocaine, and tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) by ELISA and the confirmation was performed using ultra performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry detection (UPLC-MS/MS). Of the 764 drivers stopped, 762 agreed to participate. The participants were driving an average of 614km and 9.4h a day. Of the total samples, 5.2% (n=40) tested positive for drugs. Cocaine was the most frequently found drug (n=21), followed by amphetamine (n=16) and Δ9-THC (n=8). All drivers were men with an average age of 42.5 years. With these results we were able to verify that many truck drivers were still consuming psychoactive drugs while driving, and cocaine was the most prevalent one. This reinforces the need for preventive measures aimed at controlling the use of illicit drugs by truck drivers in Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Vilma Leyton
- School of Medicine, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
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