Female drivers suspected for drunken or drugged driving
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 14, 2026

An Inexpensive, Scalable Behavioral Assay for Measuring Ethanol Sedation Sensitivity and Rapid Tolerance in Drosophila
Published on: April 15, 2015
S Skurtveit1, A S Christophersen, J Mørland
1National Institute of Forensic Toxicology, Oslo, Norway.
Abstract:
The National Institute of Forensic Toxicology in Oslo receives blood and urine samples from all Norwegian drivers apprehended on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. In this study, sex differences in use of alcohol and drugs among Norwegian drunken and drugged drivers were presented. In 1992 and 1993, the institute received samples from 11,970 and 5642 suspected drunken and drugged drivers respectively. Women were underrepresented among both suspected drunken (7.6%) and drugged (10.9%) drivers. There were not observed dramatic gender differences in frequency and finding of drugs. The most frequent drugs in addition to alcohol were tetrahydrocannabinol, benzodiazepines and amphetamine. The data suggest that benzodiazepines are found relatively more often in blood from female than from male drugged drivers. Lower proportion of women with blood ethanol concentration over the legal limit was observed.
Related Concept Videos
Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination
Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena
CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine
Drug Toxicity: Risk factors
Drug Toxicity: Dose-Dependent Reactions
Depressants
Alcohol is a common depressant that can induce a sense of relaxation and reduced inhibition at low doses. Contrary to its occasional...

