Driving under influence of drugs other than alcohol

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Driving under influence of drugs - other than
alcohol
Lars Olov Sjöström Road safety manager MHF
Sweden
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A new Swedish report

• What can be done to prevent driving under the
  influence of drugs? Prevalence, Crime-fighting
  and Preventive Methods
• Christer Folkesson Lars Olov Sjöström (MHF
  2009)

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the purpose of the investigation

• To make a survey of the development regarding
  driving under the influence of drugs
• To compare the prevalence of drugs in drivers
  with the drug abuse in general
• To analyse strategies and methods of working for
  the purpose of preventing crime (local
  communities, police, judicial system etc.)
• To put together facts and research findings for
  road safety interested people

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Background the Swedish legislation

• The Swedish Road Traffic Offences Act was changed
  on July 1st 1999 and a zero-limit for narcotic
  substances in blood was introduced.
• The zero-limit is not enforced for therapeutic
  drugs taken according to prescription by a
  physician, but if the driver is a danger to
  traffic safety by impairment from therapeutic
  drugs he could be convicted.
• There was a fourfold increase in the number of
  drivers apprehended on suspicion of DUlD (driving
  under the influence of drugs) during the second
  half of 1999 as compared to several years
  preceding the new legislation.

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Research Data

• Legislation (the Swedish Road Traffic Offences
  Act)
• Criminal statistics
• Traffic medicine data
• Swedish and European research on drug related
  road accidents, traffic medicine and legal
  science
• Tactical police work
• Politico-social aspects

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Criminal statistics Number of reported crimes
(DUID - driving under the influence of drugs)
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Suspected persons (DUID - driving under the
influence of drugs)
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the relation between reported crimes and
suspected persons (DUID - driving under the
influence of drugs)
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Number of cases analysed at the National Board
of Forensic Medicine
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Number of drug seizures in Sweden 2001-2007
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Regional differences regarding number of
reported crimes
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Recidivism

• the investigation shows that 68 percent of the
  arrested DUlD-drivers (illegal drugs) 2001-2004
  was recidivists

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Tactical police work (fighting DUID )- a further
education for policemen

• It is about ...
• profiling persons and vehicles,
• creating reasonable suspicion by observation and
  conversation with suspected,
• well documented police reports,
• license suspension/revocation
• initiate rehabilitation processes (the Skellefteå
  model/SMADIT

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Cleared-up crimes, per cent DUID - driving under
the influence of drugs

• 85 (2001 2008)

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Social contribution with the purpose of
preventing DUID

• 1. Altered social structures in the local
  communities
• 2. Socialization
• 3. More effective institutions
• 4. Control

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Common drugs in road traffic

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Thank you for your attention!