Drugs and Highway Safety 1980

Joscelyn, Kent B.; Donelson, Alan C.; Jones, R. K. (Ralph K.); McNair, John W.; Ruschmann, P. A. (Paul A.) · 1980 · ROSA P / United States. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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Summary

**Summary of "Drugs and Highway Safety 1980"** This report, prepared by the University of Michigan Highway Safety Research Institute for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), addresses the relationship between drug use by drivers and highway safety. Motivated by Section 212 of the Highway Safety Act of 1978, which mandated a congressional report on efforts to detect and prevent marijuana and other drug-impaired driving, the study aims to define the nature and magnitude of the problem and review existing countermeasures. The research focuses on controlled substances other than alcohol alone, examining the state of knowledge regarding drug effects on driving, epidemiological data, detection methods, legal frameworks, and enforcement practices. The methodology involved a comprehensive review of existing literature and direct contact with over 700 federal, state, and local agencies, organizations, and individuals. Researchers utilized computer-based information retrieval systems and manual searches to gather data on experimental and epidemiological studies, analytical techniques, and legislation. Direct contacts included telephone inquiries, letters, and site visits to toxicology laboratories, targeting entities such as NHTSA regional offices, Governor’s Highway Safety representatives, police agencies, prosecutors, and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Data collected on legislation, enforcement, health approaches, and detection methods were computerized and synthesized to provide a detailed catalog of activities and identify gaps in current knowledge. The findings indicate that while drugs can impair driving skills and contribute to traffic crashes, the precise magnitude of the drug-and-driving problem remains unknown. Definitive studies are lacking due to methodological complexities, including the variety of drugs, combination use with alcohol, and the difficulty in establishing causal links between drug presence and impairment. The report details the state of experimental research on specific drugs like marijuana and benzodiazepines, noting that most studies involve healthy volunteers and fail to address therapeutic interactions. It also reviews the limitations of current chemical tests for detecting drugs in body fluids and analyzes the inconsistencies in state laws regarding Driving Under the Influence of Drugs (DUID). Enforcement and adjudication are hindered by a lack of standardized chemical tests, insufficient evidence standards, and hesitancy among law enforcement officers. The significance of this report lies in its identification of priority needs for future research and policy action. It concludes that a coordinated, multi-disciplinary approach is required to adequately define the problem, as no single study can capture its complexity. The authors recommend specific directions for future experimental and epidemiological research, improvements in analytical methodology, and the development of integrated health/legal systems. By drawing parallels to the alcohol-highway safety experience, the report underscores the need for robust detection capabilities and consistent legal standards to effectively address drug-impaired driving as a public health and safety issue.

Key finding

The extent to which drugs other than alcohol contribute to highway safety problems is unknown, although available evidence indicates that drugs can impair driving skills and may increase the likelihood of traffic crashes.

Methodology

review

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

Ranked by relevance to this paper. Hover a topic for its definition.

• illicit drugs
• polydrug
• dui enforcement
• drowsy as impairment
• cannabis
• prescription meds

Information type

What kind of knowledge this paper contributes, grouped by family — independent of topic (what it is about) and method (how it was studied).

• Empirical Findings: observational prevalence
• Methodological Resource: validation psychometrics