Published by Australian Academy of Science
Useful sites | The dope on drug-impaired driving

Drug driving and road crashes – an overview (ACT Department of Territory and Municipal Services)

This paper discusses a range of issues related to road crashes and drug driving. It reviews data on the extent of drug use among drivers, drugs of concern for their potential to impair driving ability and the actions taken by at the territorial, state and federal level in Australia to address the issue.
http://www.tams.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/41745/drugoverview.pdf

Australian Drug Foundation

• Drugs and driving
  Provides information about the effects of medicines, cannabis, methamphetamines, alcohol and illicit drug use on driving.
  http://www.drugsdriving.adf.org.au/

• What are the effects of cannabis, amphetamines and benzodiazepines on driving ability?
  A report on recent Australian research into the effects of specific drugs on driving ability and the ability. Also looks at the use of standardised field sobriety tests to detect driving impairment due to drug use.
  http://www.druginfo.adf.org.au/newsletter.asp?ContentID=what_are_the_effects_of_cannab

Road to recovery: Report on the inquiry into substance abuse in Australian communities (House of Representatives Standing Committee on Family and Community Affairs, Australia)

This wide-ranging report on drug use was tabled in 2003. Chapter nine reports on the contribution of substance abuse to road trauma in Australia; the role of government in regulating road use and safety; and the prevalence and risks associated with drug driving. It includes recommendations for possible approaches to reduce the incidence of drug driving.
http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/fca/subabuse/report.htm

The incidence of drugs in drivers killed in Australian road traffic crashes (Forensic Science International, 8 July 2003)

Research article that reports on the incidence of alcohol and drugs in fatally injured drivers in Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia for the period of 1990-1999. Reference list contains many links to other studies into drug driving.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T6W-48KFHD8-2&_coverDate=07/08/2003&_alid=
209715184&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_qd=1&_cdi=5041&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000028338&_version=1
&_urlVersion=0&_userid=554534&md5=3d7faf4c775162630681e7e3cc7ea20d

Even some prescription drugs don’t mix with driving (Wellness Center, Cascade Health Solutions, USA)

Describes some effects of prescription, over-the-counter and illegal drugs on driving. Includes relevant links to other sites.
http://www.cascadehealth.org/articles/Even_Some_Prescription_Drugs_Dont_Mix_With_Driving/97411B0EC966/

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

• Random drug tests (transcript from Catalyst, 24 April 2003)
  Looks at some of the research behind the introduction of random roadside drug testing in Victoria.
  http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/s838743.htm
• Don’t tranquillise and drive (News in Science, 28 March 2002)
  Reports on a study from the University of Adelaide that found a link between tranquillisers and culpability in road accidents.
  http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s515079.htm

Drugs and driving (Office of Road Safety, Western Australia)

Looks at how and why drugs affect driving. Aimed at 14 to 24 year olds.
http://www.officeofroadsafety.wa.gov.au/uhtml/thisSite/drugs_driving/index.htm

Saliva as an analytical tool in toxicology (International Journal of Drug Testing, Florida State University, USA)

This lengthy review article covers the anatomy and physiology of the salivary gland, saliva formation, how drugs transfer from blood to saliva and the techniques and methods for the measurement of drugs in saliva.
http://www.criminology.fsu.edu/journal/hold.html

The effects of drugs on the nervous system (University of Washington, USA)

Includes information on a large number of drugs including cannabis, amphetamines, rohypnol, cocaine and LSD.
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/introb.html#drug