This NHTSA-sponsored study reports the findings of a field evaluation of five on-site drug screening devices that were used by law enforcement to screen for illicit drugs among drivers suspected of driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or other drugs. In two major U.S. jurisdictions (Nassau County, New York and Houston, Texas), five of the leading on-site devices were field-tested on 800 drivers apprehended for suspicion of DUI. Each urine specimen collected from an arrestee was tested with all five on-site devices; drug positive specimens and a sample of drug negatives were laboratory confirmed by GC/MS. Police officers rated the devices on five dimensions. Field test results included: (1) the number of drug positives detected by each device across the five major drugs of abuse; (2) number of discrepancies among the five on-site devices and between the devices and the GC/MS confirmations; and (3) mean officer ratings for each device. Implications for the use of on-site devices for assessing illicit drug use by drivers are discussed.
Samenvatting