Alcohol, Drugs Common in Fatal Crashes
Sep 06, 2012
According to data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 57% of U.S. drivers killed in car accidents tested positive for at least one drug. One in five tested positive for multiple drugs in their system at the time of the accident. While the data does not show whether the substances impaired drivers, the findings show a high frequency of people driving while using some substance.
Out of 20,150 fatally injured drivers in 2005 to 2009, alcohol was the most common drug to show up on tests, followed by marijuana and stimulants. While the data is thorough, the results are not always clear. For example, a person can still test positive for marijuana days or weeks after last use of the drug. Some other interesting findings came from the NHTSA study:
- 60% of men killed while driving had some sort of substance in theirsystem
- Asians were less likely to test positive for drugs or alcohol
- Native Americans were more likely to test positive for drugs or alcohol
- People who had an accident at night or on the weekend were more likely to test positive for drugs or alcohol
Learn More: Consequences of Drug Abuse, Signs of Drug Use
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Source
Reuters