Reckless Drivers

[capt_buzzard]

The number of reckless drivers who get behind the wheel while high on drugs, alcohol, cocaine and heroin are most commonly tested as positive. The majority stopped by traffic police, who thought as first that the drivers were drunk, were high on drugs.Is this the new trend for the 21st century and what can be done about it?

[spot]

Where are you discussing, Captain? There are countries which ban alcohol but have higher driving death rates than England.

Here's a few paragraphs from the UK government Drug Driving report (01/07/2003) at http://www.drugs.gov.uk/ReportsandPubli ... 1082365758

I think it shows alcohol to be, as it always has been here, the major drug factor in road deaths, and that most road deaths involve no alcohol or other drug at all in England. Road deaths would come down far more from a combination of enforced speed limits and re-training or banning of useless drivers, than a reduction of drink or drug driving.

"Of the 1184 fatal casualties 17.7% tested positive for a single drug and 6.3% tested positive for multiple drug presence.

"In the current study cannabis was the drug most frequently found among casualties, in whom a single drug was detected, constituting nearly half of single drug use. It was also the most frequently found drug in multiple use. There has been a substantial increase in the incidence of cannabis in fatal road casualties from 2.6% to 11.9% over the period between the studies. However, cannabis remains traceable in the blood stream for up to 4 weeks after regular users take it, whereas its effect on driving is probably limited to a few hours at most after it is taken. Incidence in body fluids cannot therefore be directly related to any contributory role in accidents.

"In terms of road safety, it cannot be concluded that driving under the influence of cannabis is not a hazard, as the effects on various aspects of driver performance are unpredictable. However, in comparison with alcohol, the severe effects of alcohol on the higher cognitive processes of driving are likely to make this more of a hazard, particularly at higher blood alcohol levels.

"In the current survey, 31.5% of the sample population had consumed some alcohol and 21.5% were over the legal limit for driving."

[Bothwell]

I love the statistics games you can have on this. the last I heard on the BBC was a guy from a road safety campaign telling us that 25% of all fatalities were caused by drink drivers.

Therefore the police should completely leave them alone and concentrate on the 75% of accidents caused by drivers who were SOBER, they are far more dangerous, until you realise that the percentage of people driving drunk is so small compared to those driving sober.

Statistically 8.3% of Jesus's disciples were traitors

[spot]

That's fair enough, Bothwell. If you use the current estimate that 15% of the English population has used cannabis within the last month, it fits fairly well with having no tendency toward involving its users in fatal car crashes. Which is exactly what the government report said, in effect.