The Scientific Committee for T2004 has extended the due date for submission of abstracts for T2004 to November 28, 2003. The committee will accept papers based on scientific merit, interest, novelty and importance. The receipt of abstracts will be acknowledged and all authors of abstracts will be notified, by the middle of February 2004, if their paper has been accepted. T2004, the 17th International Conference on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety will take place in Glasgow, Scotland, UK from August 8-13, 2004.
The ICADTS Foundation will award a $500 prize for the best poster. The prize program was very successful in Montreal and we look forward to interesting posters and stimulating discussion in Glasgow. The Foundation is also offering financial assistance to young scientists and to colleagues working in developing and transitional countries to participate in the conference.
Abstracts are invited on the following themes: Driver Characteristics, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Epidemiology, Rehabilitation, Prevention and Driver Performance. In addition contributions are also requested for the four, one-day workshops, each focusing on the practical issues of alcohol, drugs and traffic safety from the aspects of police enforcement, legal issues, work related transport issues [road, rail, sea and air] and drugs and driving [licit and illicit].
The details of the call for scientific papers, workshop participation and poster contributions are available on the T2004 web site (www.ICADTS2004.com). All subsequent submissions, review and notification procedures will be carried out electronically. For those who do not have web access, hard copy procedures will also be available.
For more information, contact: Claire Cresswell, T2004 Conference Secretariat, Meeting Makers Ltd, Jordanhill Campus, 76 Southbrae Drive, Glasgow G13 1PP, Scotland, UK. Phone +44 [0] 141 434 1500, Fax : +44 [0] 141 434 1519, E-mail: claire@meetingmakers.co.uk.
The TRB Committee on Alcohol, Other Drugs and Transportation has planned a varied program for the TRB Annual meeting Washington, DC in January 2004. Sessions include: 1) New Knowledge about the Effects of Alcohol in Transportation Modes other than Highway Motor Vehicles, 2) Technology Advances in Traffic Safety in Alcohol Enforcement and Programs, 3) Setting a National Goal in the U.S. for Reducing Alcohol-Related Traffic Fatalities, and 4) Drugs and Driving. All the sessions and meetings will be held at the Marriott Hotel on Monday and Tuesday, January 12th and 13th, 2004. The meeting of the committee will be held on Tuesday afternoon. Please check the final program for session times and room assignments. For questions about the program or meeting, contact committee chair, Kathryn Stewart at: stewart@pire.org.
The ICADTS Executive Board will meet Tuesday at 5:30 pm in the Washington B-4 room, following the TRB committee meeting. All ICADTS members are invited to attend.
Patricia Mary Florence Theresa Fossum Waller died at her home on August 15, 2003, following a battle with colon cancer. Dr. Waller was trained as a clinical psychologist and had a distinguished career as a research scientist and advocate for policy reform in transportation safety and injury control. She was a noted scientist and talented administrator who inspired others through her life and actions. Her special areas of research interest included the older driver, pedestrian safety, alcohol and driving, heavy truck safety, driver licensing, and social aspects of transportation systems.
She worked tirelessly to ensure that research findings were implemented through legislative and administrative measures, and that injury control and the health and human dimensions were incorporated into the national transportation agenda. She received many honors and awards, including the ICADTS Widmark Award in 1995. The award is the highest honor that ICADTS can confer.
Patricia Waller received a B.A. cum laude and M.S. from the University of Miami, and a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel. She joined the UNC Highway Safety Research Center in 1967. There she served as Associate Director for Driver Studies for twenty years and was a faculty member of the UNC School of Public Health. In 1987, she became the founding director of the UNC Injury Prevention Research Center. In 1989 to become Director of the Transportation Research Institute at the University of Michigan, where she held academic appointments in the Schools of Medicine and Public Health, and the Department of Psychology. She officially retired from the University of Michigan in 1999 but continued to be actively engaged in research projects around the world. During her career, Dr Waller published and spoke widely. She believed in the importance of translating scientific knowledge into tangible action.
Nominations for the ICADTS Widmark and Haddon Awards are due by November 30, 2003. ICADTS recognizes long-term, outstanding contributions to the field of alcohol, drugs and traffic safety through its Widmark and Haddon Awards. The Widmark Awards honor those individuals and non-governmental organizations that have made an outstanding, sustained and meritorious contribution to the field that have led to international standing and respect. The Haddon Award recognizes those who have advocated scientifically based changes to public policy that have reduced the adverse effects of alcohol or other drugs on traffic safety. Recipients will receive their awards at T2004, the 17th International Conference on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety in Glasgow, Scotland in August 2004.
Nominations for either award should be submitted to: Barry Sweedler, Chair, ICADTS Awards Committee, Safety and Policy Analysis International, 3798 Mosswood Drive, Lafayette, CA 94549, USA. Fax: +1-925-962-1810, Email: sweedlb@hotmail.com. For details on the nomination process, see the ICADTS Reporter, Vol. 14, No. 3, or visit the ICADTS web site at: www.icadts.org.
The Pompidou Group of the Council of Europe has issued two new reports on drugs and driving. The first, Methadone and Driving: Problems raised related to driving under the influence of methadone or other substances was prepared by ICADTS President, Dr Johan J. de Gier of the Netherlands. The aim of this report is to support the various discussions on the relationship between methadone use, impaired driving and accident risks within the Pompidou Group by reviewing the literature and evaluating the present knowledge. In addition, by evaluating some 'best practices' in the application of procedures for rehabilitation of drug-driving offenders, some recommendations will be presented to support further discussion on problems related to driving under the influence of methadone and other substances. The various substances (methadone, buprenorphine, levo-alpha-acetylmethodol, LAAM) used in maintenance programmes for opiate addicted persons are discussed in more detail, focusing on the differences that exist between the drugs. The report reviews more than 20 experimental studies and a limited number of epidemiological studies. There is substantial evidence that methadone might impair functions of importance to safe driving. Considerable variation observed among subjects included in these studies prevents the generalization of these studies' outcomes. Also discussed are existing procedures for assessing patients' driving fitness in methadone maintenance treatment programmes. The report concludes that methadone use among drivers arrested for driving under the influence of a drug other than alcohol is rather low (1-5%). Some recommendations to stimulate further discussion are presented.
The second report, Approaches in preventing driving under the influence of drugs reports on a seminar on road traffic and psychoactive substances, held in Strasbourg, France, 18-20 June 2003, was prepared by Professor Hans-Peter Krüger, of Germany. During the seminar, an important change in direction took place: the problem of illegal drugs was extended to the problem of medicinal drugs. Information at the seminar pointed out the prevalence of psychoactive medications in traffic and their accident risk. A recommendation was made for "regular campaigns to inform the public of the dangers of driving when taking certain medicinal drugs." Prevention of consumption clearly is an issue for illegal drugs, it could be one for alcohol, but is not adequate for medicines used by patients. The report concludes that preventive activities against medication (and illegal drugs) in traffic are extremely rarely applied in the responder countries, even if the discussed measures are rated as effective and as cost-effective for medication as for alcohol (for which they are applied relatively often). An important aim for future preventive activity regarding traffic safety must be to prompt the European countries to carry out measures beyond the information in the instruction leaflets included with medications.
The third report, Problems raised by the use of psychoactive drugs by drivers (Update to review the progress since 2001), was also prepared by Dr. de Gier. It provides a follow-up survey addressing progress regarding policies in the use/abuse of psychoactive drugs since the first survey conducted in 2001. The report concludes that a few countries have developed initiatives since 2001 to discuss changing legislation. A key issue is whether to adopt a "zero-tolerance" approach or an "impairment" approach. One other conclusion is that changing the perception in society about the drugs and driving problems seems to work if various activities can be developed that are interrelated and thereby can support each other. For example the Slovenian approach makes clear that a change in traffic law can be best discussed when police officers are trained to be better prepared for drug screening in traffic control at the same time that health care professionals are made more aware of improving their prescribing and dispensing practices. This integrated approach might be part of an in-depth discussion of 'best practices' for other member States in policy development.
All three reports can be viewed on the Council of Europe website: http://www.coe.int/T/E/Social_Cohesion/pompidou_group/3.activities/4.Legal_and_penal_aspects/default.asp.
A two-day international symposium will be held in Tampa, Florida, U.S. on Feb 23/24th 2004 to discuss strategies to cope with the worldwide problem of drugged driving. The program is designed to bring together international experts in drugged driving [researchers, police, prosecutors/judges, treatment, prevention etc.] to discuss how available technology for drug-detection can be used with DUI laws to support strategies to reduce drugged driving, and to develop a better understanding of the current problems with identifying, prosecuting, and treating drugged drivers.
The goal for the meeting is to produce a proceedings document that will discuss the scope of the problem of drugged driving, document ongoing international efforts, identify the problem areas in the identification, prosecution, and treatment of drugged drivers, provide recommendations for future research, and recommend specific strategic policy initiatives that governments could consider to manage the problem of drugged driving.
The symposium is co-sponsored by: The Counterdrug Technology Assessment Center of the Office of U.S. National Drug Control Policy, The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists [TIAFT], The International Council on Alcohol, Drugs, and Traffic Safety [ICADTS], and the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse. For additional information see: www.walshgroup.org/tampa.htm.
Sobriety checkpoints have long been shown to be highly effective in deterring impaired driving, but they can also have other less well know benefits. At a DUI checkpoint last December in San Francisco, California, an arrest was made for an outstanding warrant for grand theft of a live koala bear stolen from the San Francisco zoo. The thief had given the bear to his girlfriend as a birthday gift. The police later recovered the bear.
At the same checkpoint, police patrolling the area for an armed robbery and assault suspect vehicle, observed a vehicle attempting to avoid the checkpoint. Upon stopping the vehicle, the police determined that the six responsible suspects occupied the vehicle. They were subsequently arrested. (Source: OTS Tracks, Summer 2003)
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has a new Traffic Safety Facts (Vol. 1, No. 1, May 2003) publication on vehicle and license plate sanctions. It includes key facts, legislative status, recommendations for strengthening and increasing the use of vehicle and vehicle license plate sanctions, research and evaluation on the effects of vehicle and plate sanctions, transfer and grant programs and information sources.
The publication points out that 44 state have laws that affect vehicles and vehicle plates of offenders, including vehicle impoundment, suspension of vehicle registration, vehicle confiscation, vehicle immobilization, special license plate or plate markings, and ignition interlocks. It is pointed out that that these sanctions should be applied administratively and that the vehicle or plates should be seized at the time of arrest. Other features of successful laws are also discussed. Effectiveness studies are cited, including the California study that found that first time offenders whose vehicles were impounded had 25 % fewer crashes, while repeat offenders whose vehicles were impounded had 38% fewer crashes. A study of the Minnesota's plate impoundment program found a 50% decrease in recidivism for those offenders whose plates were impounded. To view the publication, visit the NHTSA website at: www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/new-fact-sheet03/VehicleLicensePlate.pdf.
The U.S. Transportation Research Board, through its National Cooperative Highway Research Program, has issues a report entitled A Guide for Addressing Collisions Involving Unlicensed Drivers and Drivers with Suspended or Revoked Licenses. The report includes the objectives and strategies for ensuring drivers are fully licensed and competent by keeping unlicensed drivers and drivers with suspended and revoked licenses off the road. The objectives and their strategies, shown in parenthesis, include: 1) applying special enforcement practices (increase enforcement in selected areas, routinely link citations to driver record and create and distribute "hot sheets"), 2) restricting mobility through license plate modification or removal ("stripe" license plate, and impound license plate), 3) restricting mobility through vehicle modification ( immobilize/impound/seize vehicle and install ignition interlock device), 4) restricting mobility through direct intervention with offender (monitor electronically and incarcerate), 5) Eliminate the need to drive (provide alternative transportation service).
This research report was sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration and can be viewed at: http://gulliver.trb.org/publications/nchrp/nchrp_rpt_500v2b.pdf.
The Traffic Injury Research Foundation has issued a report, Alcohol interlocks as a condition of license reinstatement. The purpose of the report, which was authored by Doug Beirness and Herb Simpson of TIRF, is to provide a discussion of the issues concerning the use of alcohol ignition interlock programs as a mandatory condition of license reinstatement. The report is based on presentations and deliberations from an international symposium held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in November 2001. The report is available on the TIRF website at: www.trafficinjuryresearch.com.
Two recent reports by the Harvard School of Public Health discuss drinking and driving and alcohol use on the university campuses. The first, Perception and Reality: A National Evaluation of Social Norms Marketing Interventions to Reduce College Students' Heavy Alcohol Use, found that almost half of the colleges sampled adopted social-norms programs. No decreases were noted in any of the seven measures of alcohol use at schools with social-norms programs, even when student exposure and length of program existence were considered. Increases in measures of monthly alcohol use and total volume consumed were observed at schools employing social-norms programs. It was concluded that the current study does not provide evidence supporting the effectiveness of social-norms marketing programs, as currently utilized, in reducing alcohol use among college students.
The second study, Drinking and Driving Among College Students: The Influence of Alcohol-Control Policies, found that drinking and driving behaviors are prevalent among a minority of college students and differ significantly among student subgroups. Students who attend colleges in states that have more restrictions on underage drinking, high volume consumption, and sales of alcoholic beverages, and devote more resources to enforcing drunk driving laws, report less drinking and driving. The study concluded that the occurrence of drinking and driving among college students differs significantly according to the policy environment at local and state levels and the enforcement of those policies. Comprehensive policies and their strong enforcement are promising interventions to reduce drinking and driving among college students. These two studies and others conducted by the College Alcohol Study project can be viewed at: www.hsph.harvard.edu/cas.
December 7-12, 2003
The Robert F. Borkenstein Course on Alcohol, Drugs and Highway Safety: Testing, Research and Litigation - Bloomington, Indiana USA
Contact the Center for Studies of Law in Action, Indiana University, Sycamore Hall 302, Bloomington, IN 47404, Tel: 812-855-1783, Fax: 812-855-7542, Email: dlindsay@indiana.edu
January 11-15, 2004
83rd Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board - Washington DC, USA
Alcohol and drug impaired driving technical sessions, and meetings of the TRB Committee on Alcohol, Other Drugs and Transportation and the ICADTS Executive Board will be featured.
Visit www.trb.org/trb/meeting for registration and meeting information.
February 23-24, 2004
Symposium on Developing Global Strategies for Identifying, Prosecuting, and Treating Drug-Impaired Drivers - Tampa, Florida USA
Visit www.walshgroup.org/tampa.htm for additional information. See related article above.
March 28-30, 2004
Lifesavers 2004 - San Diego, California USA
The National Conference on Highway Safety Priorities. For more information, visit www.lifesaversconference.org
August 8-13, 2004
17th International Conference on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety, T2004 - Glasgow, United Kingdom
For information contact Meeting Makers, 76 Southbrae Drive, Glasgow G13 1PP, Scotland, U.K., Tel: 44-141-434-1500, Fax: 44-141-434-1519,Email: icadts2004@meetingmakers.co.uk, or visit the conference website: www.ICADTS2004.com