Determining the Potential of Drugs to Impair Driving: A Demonstration of the Tiered Assessment Protocol

In November 2008 and again in March 2009, an Expert Panel was convened by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) with the goal of determining whether a list could be developed, indicating which medications or classes of medications may pose a hazard to driving. The Panel agreed that one of the barriers to categorizing drugs with respect to driving impairment risk is the lack of a common, standardized protocol for assessing the impairing potential of drugs. The Panel recognized the need for a structured, standardized protocol for assessing the driving impairment risk of drugs which would lead to better classification of drugs in terms of driving impairment risk. The approach could potentially be useful in providing more meaningful precautions for users and prescribers regarding the impact of drugs on driving. The 2011 NHTSA report by Kay and Logan (DOT HS 811 438) provides greater detail on the background for the project and assembly of the expert panel. The main goal of this project is to perform a full review using the tiered protocol by testing two prototypical drugs from among the classes of drugs known to impair driving. Specifically, the contractor will assess the feasibility and utility of carrying out the protocol by (a) performing a full review of two drugs, (b) assessing the feasibility and utility of carrying out a full review of this kind, and (c) reporting the results of the 3-part assessment process, issues, consequences, and suggestions for future study designs, and any anticipated impacts on traffic safety.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $783,083
• Contract Numbers:

  DTNH2216F00090

• Sponsor Organizations:

  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, D.C.  United States  20590

  Office of Behavioral Safety Research

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, District of Columbia  United States  20590
• Project Managers:

  Smither, Dereece

• Performing Organizations:

  Acclaro Research Solutions, Inc.

  1101 E. 33rd Street
  Baltimore, MD  United States  21218
• Principal Investigators:

  Smither, Dereece

• Start Date: 20160930
• Expected Completion Date: 20231231
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• USDOT Program: Behavioral Safety Research
• Subprogram: Drug Impaired Driving

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Drugged drivers; Evaluation and assessment; Impaired drivers; Medication; Risk analysis; Traffic safety
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01629743
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Contract Numbers: DTNH2216F00090
• Files: RIP, USDOT
• Created Date: Mar 23 2017 4:07PM