2013–2014 National Roadside Study of Alcohol and Drug Use by Drivers: Methodology

Kelley-Baker, Tara; Lacey, John H.; Berning, Amy; Ramirez, Anthony; Moore, Christine; Brainard, Katharine; Yao, Julie; Tippetts, A. Scott; Romano, Eduardo; Carr, Katherine; Pell, Karen · 2016 · ROSA P / United States. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Office of Behavioral Safety Research

archive: archived pipeline: cataloged verified

Get this paper ↗ (full text — opens at the source; we link to it, we don't host it)

Summary

This report details the methodology for the 2013–2014 National Roadside Study (NRS), a national field study sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) with additional funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The study aimed to estimate the prevalence of alcohol, drug, and combined alcohol-plus-drug use among drivers in the United States. This fifth iteration of the NRS replicated the design of previous studies conducted in 1973, 1986, 1996, and 2007, allowing for longitudinal trend analysis. The research focused primarily on nighttime weekend drivers, with a secondary focus on daytime Friday drivers, to capture peak periods of impaired driving. The study employed a stratified random sampling procedure across 300 locations in the continental United States, selected from primary sampling units within four regions and three population density levels. Data collection occurred during specific time windows: two-hour daytime sessions on Fridays and four two-hour nighttime sessions on Friday and Saturday nights. Researchers randomly stopped drivers, who were guided into survey bays. Participation was voluntary and anonymous. The data collection protocol included observational data, a verbal survey, a passive alcohol sensor (PAS) reading, and a preliminary breath test (PBT) using a masked device. Drivers also provided oral fluid samples for drug screening and, if consenting, blood samples for confirmation. Self-administered questionnaires assessed alcohol use disorders, drug use disorders, prescription drug use, and illicit drug history. Law enforcement officers were present for safety but did not participate in data collection. The study achieved high participation rates among eligible drivers. Of 14,167 vehicles signaled to enter the survey locations, 11,322 entered, and 11,100 were deemed eligible. Approximately 80% of eligible drivers participated in the survey. Breath alcohol concentration data were obtained from 85% of eligible drivers, including those who declined the full survey but provided a breath sample. Oral fluid samples were collected from 71% of eligible drivers, and blood samples were obtained from 42%. Self-administered questionnaires regarding alcohol and drug use were completed by 67% of eligible drivers. The study utilized liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for laboratory confirmation of substances in oral fluid and blood samples, respectively. This methodology report establishes the procedural framework for analyzing national trends in impaired driving. By maintaining consistency with prior NRS protocols while incorporating technological advancements and expanded drug testing capabilities, the study provides a robust dataset for comparing current prevalence rates with historical data. The findings from this methodology will support two subsequent reports: one analyzing alcohol-use prevalence trends since 1973 and another providing the first trend data on on-road drug-positive driving in the United States, comparing 2013–2014 results with the 2007 baseline. The high response rates and comprehensive biological sampling ensure the validity of these national estimates.

Key finding

The study methodology established a framework for collecting biological and self-report data from over 11,000 eligible drivers across 300 locations to estimate national prevalence rates of alcohol and drug use.

Methodology

field_study

Sample size: 11100

Provenance

The full processing record for this entry. Every stage of this paper's journey through the pipeline is logged — what ran, with which tool and model, how many attempts it took, and when it last completed. Discovered via bulk_ingest_rosap on 2026-05-23 (6 acquisition events logged).

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.

• dui enforcement
• illicit drugs
• polydrug

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: dataset resource, measurement protocol