TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCES – A STATISTICAL STUDY

Introduction: The use of psychoactive substances makes driving a car unsafe, as it puts the driver, passengers and other people who share the road at risk. Many of the accidents and deaths that occur on European roads are caused by people whose performance is impaired by alcohol, illicit drugs and m...

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Main Authors: Teodora Kiryakova, Metodi Goshev, Biliana Mileva, Dimitar Nikolov, Atanas Christov, Alexandar Alexandrov
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Union of Scientists - Stara Zagora 2019-02-01
Series:Science & Research
Subjects:
Online Access: http://www.sandtr.org/download.php?id=43
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author Teodora Kiryakova
Metodi Goshev
Biliana Mileva
Dimitar Nikolov
Atanas Christov
Alexandar Alexandrov
author_facet Teodora Kiryakova
Metodi Goshev
Biliana Mileva
Dimitar Nikolov
Atanas Christov
Alexandar Alexandrov
author_sort Teodora Kiryakova
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: The use of psychoactive substances makes driving a car unsafe, as it puts the driver, passengers and other people who share the road at risk. Many of the accidents and deaths that occur on European roads are caused by people whose performance is impaired by alcohol, illicit drugs and medications, or a combination of these substances. Material and methods: We performed full forensic autopsy, toxicological analysis of blood, urine and internal organ samples, with subsequent analysis of the results. Results: For the period 2011-2017 of all cases investigated in the Department of Forensic medicine and deontology, Sofia, Bulgaria in 520 of them the cause of death was associated with traffic accidents. In 81 of the cases the chemical analysis showed the presence of alcohol and/or illicit drugs. Discussion and conclusions: It is well known that alcohol and illicit drugs impair cognitive and physical abilities. Alcohol was the most commonly recorded psychoactive substance in traffic accidents, followed by marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines and opioids. All of these drugs affect the central nervous system, making driving and psychoactive substance use a life-threatening combination. Understanding the effects of alcohol and different illicit drugs, and the correlations between their use and the risk of traffic accidents are necessary to develop effective public health and law enforcement strategies for prevention and control.
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spelling doaj-art-a9170d95af7140088fcf91c4b7c7093c2025-08-20T03:10:14ZengUnion of Scientists - Stara ZagoraScience & Research2535-07652019-02-0143TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCES – A STATISTICAL STUDYTeodora KiryakovaMetodi GoshevBiliana MilevaDimitar NikolovAtanas ChristovAlexandar AlexandrovIntroduction: The use of psychoactive substances makes driving a car unsafe, as it puts the driver, passengers and other people who share the road at risk. Many of the accidents and deaths that occur on European roads are caused by people whose performance is impaired by alcohol, illicit drugs and medications, or a combination of these substances. Material and methods: We performed full forensic autopsy, toxicological analysis of blood, urine and internal organ samples, with subsequent analysis of the results. Results: For the period 2011-2017 of all cases investigated in the Department of Forensic medicine and deontology, Sofia, Bulgaria in 520 of them the cause of death was associated with traffic accidents. In 81 of the cases the chemical analysis showed the presence of alcohol and/or illicit drugs. Discussion and conclusions: It is well known that alcohol and illicit drugs impair cognitive and physical abilities. Alcohol was the most commonly recorded psychoactive substance in traffic accidents, followed by marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines and opioids. All of these drugs affect the central nervous system, making driving and psychoactive substance use a life-threatening combination. Understanding the effects of alcohol and different illicit drugs, and the correlations between their use and the risk of traffic accidents are necessary to develop effective public health and law enforcement strategies for prevention and control. http://www.sandtr.org/download.php?id=43 driving under influencepsychoactive substancesdeathforensic medicine
spellingShingle Teodora Kiryakova
Metodi Goshev
Biliana Mileva
Dimitar Nikolov
Atanas Christov
Alexandar Alexandrov
TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCES – A STATISTICAL STUDY
Science & Research
driving under influence
psychoactive substances
death
forensic medicine
title TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCES – A STATISTICAL STUDY
title_full TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCES – A STATISTICAL STUDY
title_fullStr TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCES – A STATISTICAL STUDY
title_full_unstemmed TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCES – A STATISTICAL STUDY
title_short TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCES – A STATISTICAL STUDY
title_sort traffic accidents under the influence of psychoactive substances a statistical study
topic driving under influence
psychoactive substances
death
forensic medicine
url http://www.sandtr.org/download.php?id=43
work_keys_str_mv AT teodorakiryakova trafficaccidentsundertheinfluenceofpsychoactivesubstancesastatisticalstudy
AT metodigoshev trafficaccidentsundertheinfluenceofpsychoactivesubstancesastatisticalstudy
AT bilianamileva trafficaccidentsundertheinfluenceofpsychoactivesubstancesastatisticalstudy
AT dimitarnikolov trafficaccidentsundertheinfluenceofpsychoactivesubstancesastatisticalstudy
AT atanaschristov trafficaccidentsundertheinfluenceofpsychoactivesubstancesastatisticalstudy
AT alexandaralexandrov trafficaccidentsundertheinfluenceofpsychoactivesubstancesastatisticalstudy