Stimulants and driving
Alcohol Pharmacology Effects on driving Measuring alcohol Cannabis Pharmacology Effects on driving Stimulants Pharmacology Effects on driving Prescribed Drugs Which ones matter? The Inexperienced Driver Learning to drive The impact of inexperience Publications Articles published by us Links Welcome Page Contact us		Driving behaviours that have been observed under the influence of amphetamines include drifting out of the lane, erratic driving, weaving, speeding, drifting off the road, an increase in risk taking, and high speed collisions. Stimulants are the most likely drugs after alcohol to be associated with culpability for fatal collisions. In an Australian study of the role of drugs in fatal collisions, stimulants were detected in 4.1% of all drivers and 23% of deceased truckers. The odds of any driver using amphetamines being culpable for the collision in which they died were 2.3 times those of a drug/alcohol-free driver, while the relative odds were 8.8 times for truckers on stimulants. This is the highest risk ratio for any substance including high dose alcohol. There are laboratory studies showing that small doses of stimulants can improve cognitive performance and improve reaction time . On the other hand, amphetamines cause deficits in divided attention tasks and perception in the peripheral visual fields. Amphetamine variants (dexamphetamine, methamphetamine and methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, or 'Ecstasy') have been implicated in traffic fatalities. There's been little laboratory work with driving simulators or on-the-road performance under amphetamines. However, using a driving simulator, the Drugs and Driving Unit at Swinburne University found that 0.42mg/kg dexamphetamine significantly impaired overall performance for daytime but not nighttime driving, possibly because the visual field is restricted in the nighttime simulation and peripheral cues are less important. During the daytime simulation, drivers signaled incorrectly and failed to stop at red traffic lights more frequently. What are required are laboratory studies that replicate the conditions under which the amphetamines are frequently used. Thus, for example, long distance drivers often take methamphetamine repetitively and so the drug should be examined experimentally under similar conditions. Finally, it is known that methamphetamine depresses neurotransmitters in the brain for extended periods over a week or more, even following single dose treatments. During that period subjects exhibit depressed behaviour that should be examined for impairment.
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