This paper discusses the part played by alcohol and other drugs in transport crashes for different modes in the USA; it also considers the results of the first few years of testing under the new US Department of Transportation (DOT), where progress has been made, and what new steps are required. The results are reviewed for airlines, railways, commercial trucking, sea transport, and rail rapid transit and metro systems. In 1990, the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) issued new rules, designed to identify and ground pilots involved in alcohol or drug-related motor vehicle offences involving drinking and driving. A considerable proportion of airline, railway and metro accidents, some serious, have involved alcohol and other drugs. However, use of alcohol and drugs by rail staff decreased during the 1980s, and most US rail rapid transit systems have alcohol-drugs testing programmes. Truck drivers, who died in crashes, were often found to have taken alcohol (13%), marijuana (13%), cocaine (9%) and other drugs (16%). The very damaging EXXON Valdez sea collision, causing a massive oil spill, was at least partly caused by an alcohol-impaired ship's captain. Testing has deterred alcohol and drug taking on public transport, and screening of staff driving records is beginning to have a similar effect.
Samenvatting