In the autumn of 1997, the SWOV Institute for Road Safety Research, in co-operation with Traffic Test and Deltalab, carried out a pilot study to investigate drug and alcohol use by motorists in the Netherlands. This investigation was conducted in nine selected research areas on Friday and Saturday nights between 10:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. In Amsterdam, measurements were carried out on both a Friday and Saturday night. The main study objective was to gain an insight into the possibilities for reliably determining drug use, whether or not in combination with alcohol, among motorists. In particular, the nature and volume of non-response are determining factors. A total of 402 motorists were asked to participate in the study. Of them, 47 (11.7%) refused. From 62 subjects (15.4%), it was not possible to obtain a urine sample although these subjects were interviewed and underwent a sweat test. The second study objective was to obtain indications about the reliability and practical usefulness of testers for the rapid drug use screening. The third study objective was to obtain indications about the degree to which motorists are driving under the influence of drugs, whether or not in combination with alcohol. The pilot study outcomes indicate that illegal drug use is no longer a marginal phenomenon in Dutch traffic. (A)
Abstract