So you still think it's Ok to drive after drugs?

[superbabydoc]

The incidence of drugs in drivers killed in Australian road traffic crashes

The incidence of alcohol and drugs in fatally injured drivers were determined in three Australian states; Victoria (VIC), New South Wales (NSW) and Western Australia (WA) for the period of 1990-1999. A total of 3398 driver fatalities were investigated which included 2609 car drivers, 650 motorcyclists and 139 truck drivers.

Alcohol at or over 0.05 g/100ml (%) was present in 29.1% of all drivers. The highest prevalence was in car drivers (30.3%) and the lowest in truckers (8.6%). WA had the highest rate of alcohol presence of the three states (35.8%).

Almost 10% of the cases involved both alcohol and drugs. Drugs (other than alcohol) were present in 26.7% of cases and psychotropic drugs in 23.5%. These drugs comprised cannabis (13.5%), opioids (4.9%), stimulants (4.1%), benzodiazepines (4.1%) and other psychotropic drugs (2.7%). 8.5% of all drivers tested positive for Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and the balance of cannabis positive drivers were positive to only the 11-nor-Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid (carboxy-THC) metabolite. The range of THC blood concentrations in drivers was 0.1-228 ng/ml, with a median of 9 ng/ml. Opioids consisted mainly of morphine (n=84), codeine (n=89) and methadone (n=33), while stimulants consisted mainly of methamphetamine (n=51), MDMA (n=6), cocaine (n=5), and the ephedrines (n=61).

The prevalence of drugs increased over the decade, particularly cannabis and opioids, while alcohol decreased. Cannabis had a larger prevalence in motorcyclists (22.2%), whereas stimulants had a much larger presence in truckers (23%).

While this isn't exactly recent data, it has only just been published in 2003. Thought this might prove a sobering read, particularly for those who think it is quite safe to drive on stimulants. I should point out that a number of those deaths would be due to people, such as long distance drivers, trying to use stimulants to allay fatigue. In those cases, the fatigue would be a major contributor.

I wonder how the 6 fatalities with MDMA present might compare to non-driving related MDMA deaths for the same period? I suspect the former would be the greater number.

 

[Jimity]

Thats one of the reasons I ride a motorbike. I simply cannot get on it or bring myself to get on it, if I've been getting on it. I simply cannot ride, or even keep the bike up, so I dont.

 

[1bRAVEheart1]

I am all for driver drug tests. Obviously the tests would need to be carefully calibrated to allow for the fact that most drugs stay in the system a long time. For instance, you should be fine to drive if you had a pill the night before, or smoked some weed earlier in the day, but really, just because a breathalyzer isn't going to pick it up, doesn't mean you are alright to drive.

I have driven after a night on MDMA, but never until I've been well and truelly coming down, and feeling pretty straight. I would probably agree that I shouldn't have driven these times.

Like alcohol, it is certainly possible to have some, and still be capable of driving safely: hence the 0.05 law. I don't know how well this could be judged with recreational drugs, as doses are obviously far more variable, and certain drugs like marijuana affect people very little in low doses such that there could be a level that could be deemed acceptable.

I think it should be fairly easy to agree that a bit of an inconvenience to a few people not being able to drive is certainly better than more deaths on the road.

bRAVEheart

 

[Jimity]

I don't know how well this could be judged with recreational drugs, as doses are obviously far more variable, and certain drugs like marijuana affect people very little in low doses such that there could be a level that could be deemed acceptable.

There is no acceptable level for recreational drugs. Driving whilst taking a prohibited substance is illegal.

Even though I enjoy my prohibted substances, I still think that zero tolerance should be in place when it comes to driving. There are far too many variables to take into account with things like MDMA, LSD and speed.

 

[Catax]

Driving on drugs is just wrong not only is it a huge risk to yrself but to everyone else as well!
A good friend of mine almost died because of a driver under the influence...get a taxi, use public transport, just don't drive.

 

[diegoblunt]

People who think driving on drugs is allright should also be charged with possessing a deadly weapon (their car).

I've stopped driving stoned now...if i can't get a lift home from somewhere, i'll just smoke at home. I've never driven on any harder drug or alcohol.

 

[madmick19]

i used to think i was okay to drive but woke up when i almost killed myself and a friend, all lifts from now on..

you have to think that its not just your life when you crash, its you r friends and the innocent family in the other car

 

[ihaq4weed]

is

There is no acceptable level for recreational drugs. Driving whilst taking a prohibited substance is illegal.

bahahaha. dude you crack me up, prohibited substance are illegal ! you do those !

lets not all get high and fucking mighty. i drive while stoned. its all about risk calculation.

no, dont reply to me.

 

[Pleonastic]

^^^^^
Do you post while stoned too?

 

[Jimity]

bahahaha. dude you crack me up, prohibited substance are illegal

Um.... that was my point bro.

 

[rah]

im just going to add that most people i know wouldn't think twice about driving on meth, weed, ecstasy, smack or whatever, but alcohol they would rethink thanks to heavy fines and loss of license

 

[Chubba75]

im just going to add that most people i know wouldn't think twice about driving on meth, weed, ecstasy, smack or whatever, but alcohol they would rethink thanks to heavy fines and loss of license

Meth is fine. Weed really depends on how stoned you are. Ecstasy, na... too many "space-outs" and stuff like that. Smack, not on a decent dose, you wouldn't want to nod behind the wheel.

Driving on Meth is quite safe in my eyes.

 

[Jimity]

^^^ I disagree. Now, I dont take meth, but everyone I know who does take it, I have noticed, take many more risks, that they wouldnt normally take when sober. This would carry over into driving too I think.

"Is that a gap? Fucking is now!"

Though I am pretty adament about not driving on any drugs..... but this doesnt stop me getting a lift home on a Sunday morning with someone whos fucked.

 

[Chubba75]

As if every Meth user is violent and skizto. I drive more sensibly while on drugs, so I don't attract attention to myself.

Also I would only drive late night, not during the day. Like 11pm onwards, when there are no cars on the road. No passengers, just me.

 

[1bRAVEheart1]

I think one of the points in my post was missed slightly.

If the test is sensitive enough to be able to tell that you were stoned yesterday, because marijuana stays in the system a long while, it would be stupid if you got pulled up for that. Someone who smoked weed the day before is obviously alright to drive.

bRAVEheart

 

[backindauk]

Drugs while driving is really stupid.

Doing drugs in the first place is stupid.

I think the term you need to learn about is 'harm minimisation'

 

[mr_p]

oooo, K ! lets all just chill out and not be so narrow minded and opionated (yes, i see the irony in telling people on a forum not to be so opionated, BUT) .....

I am assuming most of you people live in the city...
are possibly in to 'clubbing' or 'raving', where there is substantial public transport in the mornings...

WELL, i am from northern nsw where public transport does not exsist (unless your old), and I go doofing most weekends (underground forest parties) and i can say that I have driven after taking mdma and lsd (ovbiuosly not peaking) and can see nothing wrong with it ... pils obviously must not fuct me up as much as some of you... but i can honestly say that driving after taking mdma is fine (post-peak) .... ... please do not tell me off unless you have had a negative experience regarding mdma and driving ....

and as far as smoking and driving goes ... each to there own ... I can drive fine (if a little slower) after smoking pot ...so please dont tell me off regarding this comment either, as i can handle it .. YOU may not

I will also add that statistics regarding drugs and driving must not be viewed in a superficiaul manner .... these people partake in risk taking behaviour and this does not mix well with any drugs ....

if you cannot tell whether it safe for you to drive after taking drugs, then you should not be driving.
k, thats my words

 

[Fry-d-]

Even though you feel you are ok to drive in an emergency situation your senses and reaction times will be average at best after a night out on 'insert drug here'. You might have been lucky up until now but if one day your not quite so lucky it probably won't just be your life you ruin.

This is not an arguement, this is not a debate. Whether you think so or not after a night out on pills or even an afternoon smoking weed in front of the TV you are not 100% behind the wheel.

 

[astrosmurf]

everyone who hasn't already read this should!


http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=49487&highlight=drugs+and+driving

 

[BigTrancer]

Quoted from another thread:

I posted this in a thread about drug driving a while ago, last year some time. I'm gonna repost because I think the information is useful/relevant, and I like the pic...

Driving a car and getting home normally is possibly easy enough on stimulants, or certain low levels of drugs - but it's not safe and it's not legal.

Concentrating on maintaining driving speed, position in the lane, and peripheral awareness on what's going on outside the car are all affected by different drugs in different ways. Generally high doses of amphetamines and MDMA result in increased driving speed, without affecting lane keeping; however, peripheral concentration is impaired. In combination with alcohol and/or THC, these problems are exacerbated. Interestingly, low to moderate doses of THC tend to reduce driving speed and improve lane keeping ability, particularly if the dose was taken some time before driving. However this improvement is reversed if combined with alcohol or other drugs.

Reference: http://www.vv.se/traf_sak/t2000/607.pdf

Driving in general is quite an easy thing to do, to the point where driving can actually become a subconscious function. You can daydream, play music, talk to people, think about your day, and still get places. Where the difficulty comes in is not your driving per se, but responding to the actions of other drivers. You can be the best driver in the world but you can't bank on some retard doing what you'd do in the same situation. Not everyone will brake at the sign of danger, not everyone will swerve to miss you even if there's heaps of space to spare and you're stationary, and you can't count on someone to not be asleep or on drugs themselves. That's where the concentration, and reflexes, come into play.

Don't trust yourself to be able to account for someone else's stupidity or negligence when you're on drugs. Of course, if the road looks like this, you're fucked in no uncertain terms anyway.

BigTrancer