Traffic Safety Facts: Understanding the Limitations of Drug Test Information, Reporting, and Testing Practices in Fatal Crashes

NHTSA - Behavioral Safety Researchhttps://doi.org/10.21949/15259592014PDFBriefBerning, AmySmither, Dereece D.United States. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Office of Behavioral Safety ResearchUnited States. Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationUnited States. Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationUnited StatesData analysisData collectionDrug testsDrugged driversFatalitiesTraffic crashesTraffic safetyImpaired driversHighwaysFatal CrashesTraffic Safety FactsBehavioral Safety ResearchSafety and Human FactorsAccidents and the Human FactorDOT HS 812 072Berning, A., & Smither, D. D. (2014). Understanding the limitations of drug test information, reporting, and testing practices in fatal crashes. (Traffic Safety Facts Research Note. DOT HS 812 072). Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.Research NoteSince 1975, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has collected data from all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico on all police-reported fatal crashes on public roadways. NHTSA\u2019s National Center for Statistics and Analysis (NCSA) includes data from these fatal crashes in the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). This dataset provides a wealth of information on fatal crashes, the roadways, vehicles, and drivers involved. \u201cImpaired driving\u201d includes use of alcohol, or drugs, or both. Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) results are not known for all drivers in fatal crashes. For crashes with missing alcohol data, NHTSA uses a statistical model called \u201cmultiple imputation\u201d to estimate the BAC of a driver at the time of the crash. In contrast, the variables regarding drug test information in crashes is evolving. It does not include estimates for missing data or impairment levels and therefore needs further interpretation. This paper summarizes some of the complexities related to drug-involved driving, notes limitations of drug data collected in FARS, and presents challenges in interpreting, reporting, and analyzing the data.129