The Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST) and measures of cognitive functioning.

Objective: The Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST) are utilised widely to assess fitness to drive when law enforcement suspects a driver's ability to drive is impaired, whether by drugs or alcohol. The SFST ostensibly achieve this through assessment of the level of drivers' cognitive and psychomotor impairment, although no studies have explicitly assessed the relatedness of cognitive ability and performance on the SFST. The current study aimed to assess the relationship between the three components of the SFST with a well validated computerised cognitive battery.

The effects of cannabis and alcohol on simulated driving: Influences of dose and experience.

Background: Cannabis and alcohol are the most popular drugs amongst recreational users, and most prevalent in injured and deceased drivers. Clarification of the interactive effects of these drugs upon driving behaviour is critical for reducing drug-related road deaths.

Objectives: The current study had two objectives, to examine the effects of cannabis and alcohol on driving performance, and identify if any differences between the effects of cannabis and alcohol on driving performance exist between regular cannabis users and non-regular cannabis users.

Detecting impairment associated with cannabis with and without alcohol on the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests.

Rationale: Cannabis and alcohol are the most popular drugs amongst recreational users and most prevalent in injured and deceased drivers. The Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST) are commonly used to establish impairment due to drugs and alcohol, but limited empirical evidence exists concerning the combined effects of these drugs on SFST performance.

Methods: The sample comprised 80 individuals (31 females; 49 males).

The incidence of drugs of impairment in oral fluid from random roadside testing.

Oral fluid (OF) has become a popular specimen to test for presence of drugs, particularly in regards to road safety. In Victoria, OF specimens from drivers have been used to test for the presence of methylamphetamine (MA) and Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) since 2003 and 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine (MDMA) since 2006. LC-MS/MS has been used to test the most recent 853 submitted OF specimens from Victoria Police for 31 drugs of abuse including those listed in the Australian Standard AS4760-2006.

The prevalence of drugs in injured drivers.

In mid 2009 Victoria introduced compulsory drug testing of blood taken from all injured drivers taken to hospital. Δ(9)-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), methylamphetamine (MA) and 3,4-methylenedioxy-methylamphetamine (MDMA) are prohibited and if drivers are positive to any amount an automatic penalty is enforced. Laboratory screens were conducted on preserved blood using ELISA testing for cannabis metabolite and methylamphetamines and a fully validated LC-MS/MS method for 105 drugs including THC, amphetamines, opioids, benzodiazepines, antidepressants and antipsychotics and a number of other psychoactive substances using a minimum of two transitions per drug.

The Victorian legislative framework for the random testing drivers at the roadside for the presence of illicit drugs: an evaluation of the characteristics of drivers detected from 2004 to 2006.

In December 2004, a new legislative framework for the random drug screening of drivers modeled on the successful random alcohol screening methodology came into force in Victoria, Australia. The new framework prohibits driving while methamphetamine (MA), 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), and cannabis, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), are present at any level in a driver's specimen. This is enforced by police who have the legislative authority to randomly drug test drivers for the presence of MA, MDMA, and THC by oral fluid (saliva) sample screening at the roadside.

The Victorian legislative framework for testing drivers for impairment caused by drugs other than alcohol: an evaluation of the characteristics of drivers detected from 2000 to 2005.

On December 1, 2000, new legislation came into force in Victoria, Australia, that involved a framework for the procedure to be followed by the police for the detection of drivers impaired by drugs other than alcohol. An integral part of the procedure is the use of performance tests known as the standardized field sobriety tests (SFSTs) and the analysis of blood samples for the presence of drugs other than alcohol. This paper outlines the new legislative framework and the drug impairment detection procedures currently in place in Victoria.

Drugs in oral fluid in randomly selected drivers.

There were 13,176 roadside drug tests performed in the first year of the random drug-testing program conducted in the state of Victoria. Drugs targeted in the testing were methamphetamines and Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). On-site screening was conducted by the police using DrugWipe, while the driver was still in the vehicle and if positive, a second test on collected oral fluid, using the Rapiscan, was performed in a specially outfitted "drug bus" located adjacent to the testing area.