Mortality among subjects previously apprehended for driving under the influence of traffic-hazardous medicinal drugs.

Background: Most studies in the field of impaired driving have focused on the hazards represented by impaired drivers to the rest of society; there has been little follow-up of the drivers themselves. The aim of this study was to establish mortality rates among subjects previously apprehended for driving under the influence of traffic-hazardous medicinal drugs, alone or in combination with alcohol.

Methods: A prospective cohort study of all drivers aged 20-49 years, apprehended in Norway in 1992-1996 and testing positive for traffic-hazardous medicinal drugs in blood, outcome variable: death. Methods: 805 drivers (598 males, 207 females). Mean follow-up period: 6.8 years. Information on deaths was collected from Statistics Norway.

Results: During the follow-up period, 139 of the previously apprehended drivers died (110 males, 29 females). The calculated standardised mortality ratio (SMR) was 15.8 (95% CI: 13.0-19.0) for male and 20.0 (95% CI: 13.4-28.7) for female drivers.

Conclusions: Apprehension on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs, combined with detection of traffic-hazardous medicinal drugs in the blood, seems to indicate an elevated risk of premature death in the age group 20-49 years. Secondary prevention of continued drug use could save lives in this drug user group.