New Risk Management Findings from Monash University Described (Trends in reports of driving following illicit drug consumption among regular drug…

New Risk Management Findings from Monash University Described (Trends in reports of driving following illicit drug consumption among regular drug users in Australia, 2007-2013: Has random roadside drug testing had a deterrent effect?)

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Weekly News -- Data detailed on Risk Management have been presented. According to news reporting from Melbourne, Australia, by VerticalNews journalists, research stated, "Driving following illicit drug consumption ('drug-driving') is a potential road safety risk. Roadside drug testing (RDT) is conducted across Australia with the dual aims of prosecuting drivers with drugs in their system and deterring drug-driving."

The news correspondents obtained a quote from the research from Monash University, "We examined trends over time in self-reported past six-month drug-driving among sentinel samples of regular drug users and assessed the impact of experiences of RDT on drug-driving among these participants. Data from 1913 people who inject drugs (PWID) and 3140 regular psychostimulant users (RPU) who were first-time participants in a series of repeat cross-sectional sentinel studies conducted in Australian capital cities from 2007 to 2013 and reported driving in the past six months were analysed. Trends over time were assessed using the x(2) test for trend. Multivariable logistic regressions assessed the relationship between experiences of RDT and recent drug-driving, adjusting for survey year, jurisdiction of residence and sociodemographic and drug use characteristics. The percentage of participants reporting recent (past six months) drug-driving decreased significantly over time among both samples (PWID: 83% [2007] vs. 74% [2013], p< 0.001; RPU: 72% vs. 56%, p< 0.001), but drug-driving remained prevalent. Lifetime experience of RDT increased significantly over time (PWID: 6% [2007] vs. 32% [2013], p< 0.001; RPU: 2% vs. 11%, p< 0.001). There were no significant associations between experiencing RDT and drug-driving among either PWID or RPU. Although there is some evidence that drug-driving among, key risk groups of regular drug users is declining in Australia, possibly reflecting a general deterrent effect of RDT, experiencing RDT appears to have no specific deterrent effect on drug-driving."

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: "Further intervention, with a particular focus on changing attitudes towards drug-driving, may be needed to further reduce this practice among these groups."

For more information on this research see: Trends in reports of driving following illicit drug consumption among regular drug users in Australia, 2007-2013: Has random roadside drug testing had a deterrent effect? Accident Analysis and Prevention, 2017;104():146-155. Accident Analysis and Prevention can be contacted at: Pergamon-Elsevier Science Ltd, The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, England. (Elsevier - www.elsevier.com; Accident Analysis and Prevention - www.journals.elsevier.com/accident-analysis-and-prevention/)

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting D. Horyniak, Monash University, Sch Public Hlth & Prevent Med, Melbourne, Vic, Australia. Additional authors for this research include P. Dietze, S. Lenton, R. Alati, R. Bruno, A. Matthews, C. Breen and L. Burns.

Keywords for this news article include: Melbourne, Australia, Australia and New Zealand, Risk Management, Drugs and Therapies, Monash University.

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