First, this report describes various ways which aim to estimate the number of impaired drives. It reports estimated figures and points out the problems in quantification of the size of the impaired driving problem. Risk classification then combines exposure data and impairment effects and results in a ranking – still to be seen as a preliminary attempt. A separate chapter describes different legal approaches to define impairment and outlines the variety of legal implications of impaired driving in European countries concerning alcohol and drugs and medicines. Especially concerning drugs the impairment definition is essential on how suspicion of impaired driving is dealt with – how police controls and roadside testing are conducted and what consequences for driving and driving license the convicted has to expect. To outline the basis for drug recognition and impairment assessment the pharmacokinetic and the acute effects of drugs and medicines are described in detail. If available studies focusing upon effects on driving are reported. Effects resulting from combinations of various substances are described and discussed. Based on this background the current ways of impairment identification are described - police suspicion, psychometric tests, drug screening methods and medical screening. Advantages and shortcomings of these methods are described; needs and ways to achieve improvement are discussed. Ways how European countries proceed in driving license issues once a driver is convicted for driving under the influence of alcohol or a drug are described in a separate chapter. The diversity concerning alcohol is listed. Concerning drugs the procedures established in some European countries are described in detail. This concerns especially the psychological and medical judgement of single cases with respect to recidivism risk and rehabilitation measures. Further information about IMMORTAL can be found on the website see http://www.immortal.or.at/ (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting