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Increased mortality among previously apprehended drunken and drugged drivers.

Svetlana Skurtveit1, Asbjørg S Christophersen, Merete Grung

  • 1Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 4404, Nydalen, 0403, Oslo, Norway. svetlana.skurtveit@fhi.no

Drug and Alcohol Dependence
|September 18, 2002
PubMed
Summary

Apprehension for drunken or drugged driving indicates a higher risk of premature death, especially for drugged drivers. This finding highlights the need for new public health strategies for impaired drivers.

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Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Forensic Science
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Impaired driving research typically focuses on societal harm, not driver outcomes.
  • Limited data exists on the long-term mortality of individuals apprehended for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine mortality rates and causes of death among apprehended drunken and drugged drivers.
  • To assess the long-term survival of impaired drivers post-apprehension.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective cohort study design.
  • Follow-up period of 7.5 years.
  • Analysis of apprehended drivers (20-39 years old) testing positive for alcohol (n=2531) or drugs (n=918) in 1992.

Main Results:

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  • Male drunken drivers had a higher mortality rate than the general Norwegian population (SMR=3.7).
  • Drugged drivers showed significantly elevated mortality rates: SMR=18.1 for men and 27.9 for women.
  • Male heroin users apprehended for drugged driving had a very high SMR of 39.8.
  • Leading causes of death included drug poisoning/overdose, accidents, and suicide.

Conclusions:

  • Apprehension for impaired driving is a marker for increased risk of premature death in young adults (20-39 years).
  • Drugged drivers face a particularly elevated mortality risk.
  • Findings suggest a need for new public health interventions for apprehended impaired drivers.