ESR Annual Report 2010

14 | ESR Annual Report 2010 Forensic toxicology Testing drugged drivers ESR began comprehensive drug-driver testing in November 2009 with the introduction of additional drug-driving provisions in the Land Transport Amendment Act 2009. The Act allows police to test for the presence of qualifying drugs if a driver fails a compulsory impairment test. The process is similar to that used for the drink-drive blood alcohol samples. ESR toxicologist Helen Poulsen said samples can be tested for a range of drugs of abuse and prescription drugs likely to impair driving. About 30 drug-driving samples a month are being submitted for laboratory testing.“Under the legislation we only need to find evidence of one drug and about 70% have been found to use cannabis,” she said. Two blood samples are supplied to ESR (the blood sample is split when taken by the doctor or nurse). One sample is tested and the other kept in case private analysis is requested. Five-year drug-driving study A seminal five-year study into the use of alcohol and drugs by New Zealand drivers has been completed by ESR toxicology. This study examined two different driver samples: 1,046 samples taken from drivers killed in crashes over a five-year period, and 1,999 evidential blood samples taken from suspected intoxicated drivers not involved in crashes, collected in a six-month period. All samples were analysed for the presence of alcohol and drugs. ESR’s Dr Helen Poulsen said 48% (500) of the deceased drivers had used alcohol or some other impairing drug, often in combination. Fifty-two percent (546) of the drivers had no alcohol or other drug detected, or were unlikely to have been significantly impaired by the alcohol or other drug present. “In the under-20-year-old age group, 94% had blood alcohol levels exceeding the current youth limit and 44% had also used other drugs. Cannabis use was higher in the 15 to 25-year-old age group than in the older age groups. Forty-seven percent of the cannabis-only drivers and 40% of the combined alcohol and cannabis drivers were under 25 years old,” Dr Poulsen said. Blood samples taken from 1,999 suspected excess-blood-alcohol drivers were also tested. Over a third of the drivers (37%) tested positive for both drugs and alcohol, with cannabis being the most common other drug found. Sixty-three percent had only alcohol present. Culpability analysis was also undertaken for all the deceased drivers. Seventy percent of the deceased drivers involved in multiple vehicle crashes had been at fault and culpable, and the deceased was at fault in 95% of the single vehicle crashes. The full report, Alcohol and Other Drug Use in New Zealand Drivers 2004-2009, is available at www.police.govt.nz. ESR provides New Zealand’s only forensic toxicology service supporting the work of the coroners, pathologists and police. We also provide services for Child, Youth and Family. Toxicological investigations confirm the presence of alcohol and drugs, solvents, inhalants and poisons.