The prevalence of illicit drugs and medicines in the driving population, i.e. among drivers on the road, was 2.5 per cent between the years 2006 and 2011 in Sweden. The prevalence of alcohol, illicit drugs and medicines among drivers killed in traffic the same years was 31.2 per cent. In comparison with other countries in the EU project DRUID, Sweden has the highest proportion of negative results, i.e. drivers without the presence of alcohol, drugs or medicine. This applies to both drivers on the road and drivers killed in traffic. The studies that form the basis of this report have been performed within the project DRUID — Driving under the influence of drugs, alcohol and medicine, which is a project within the EU's Sixth Framework Programme, which lasted five years (2006—2011). This report presents two sub-studies from the DRUID project. The aims of these studies were: • to study the prevalence of illicit drugs and medicines in the driving population (study among drivers on the road) • to study the prevalence of alcohol, illicit drugs and medicines among killed drivers (study of killed drivers). In the study among drivers on the road, saliva samples were collected. Toxicological results were analysed from 6,199 drivers in Södermanland, Örebro and Östergötland out of 10,223 drivers of passenger cars and vans that were stopped by the police in March 2008— February 2009. In the study of killed drivers we have toxicological results from 157 fatalities out of 178 drivers of passenger cars and vans that were killed in traffic accidents in 2008. The analysis included a total of 29 drugs, medicines and metabolites. The study among killed drivers also included alcohol. In the study among drivers on the road 97.5 per cent were negative for all substances. Alcohol was not included in the study because only drivers with a negative breath test participated. Illicit drugs occurred in 0.4 per cent of the drivers and medicinal drugs occurred in 2.1 per cent. A combination of illicit and medicinal drugs was found in 0.02 per cent of the drivers. The most common illicit drugs among drivers on the road were amphetamines and THC (cannabis) which occurred in 0.2 per cent of the drivers respectively. Opiates and opioids were the most common drug with a prevalence of 1.1 per cent. Z-drugs occurred in 0.5 per cent and benzodiazepines in 0.3 per cent of the drivers on the road. When results are broken down into age and gender groups it can be found that the overall prevalence was higher in women and older drivers, depending on a higher prevalence of medicinal drugs. These results should be interpreted with caution because they are very uncertain. In the study of killed drivers 68.8 per cent were tested negative for all substances. Alcohol occurred in 19.5 per cent of the drivers, of which 3.5 per cent were in combina¬tion with illicit drugs and/or medicinal drugs. Illicit drugs occurred in 3.5 per cent of killed drivers and medicinal drugs in 6.3 per cent. In 2.1 per cent of the killed drivers a combination of illicit and medicinal drugs were found. Amphetamines were the most commonly used illicit drug with a prevalence of 2.8 per cent. Z-drugs occurred in 2.1 per cent of the killed drivers. Combinations of drugs from more than one group occurred in 2.8 per cent, however, no combination of illicit drugs from more than one group was found. Because of the small number of killed drivers, it is difficult to draw any conclusions about subgroups. However, the results show a higher prevalence among male drivers than among female drivers, both in terms of alcohol and drugs among killed drivers. (Author/publisher) This report may be accessed by Internet users at http://www.vti.se/en/publications/drug-and-medicine-prevalence-in-traff…
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