Positivity to Cocaine and/or Benzoylecgonine in Confirmation Analyses for On-Road Tests in Spain

Abstract

We are using real-life data in order to determine the prevalence of driving with the presence of cocaine and/or benzoylecgonine (BZE), their concentrations, and their use in combination with other drugs. This study assessed data on Spanish drivers with confirmed drug-positive results recorded by the Spanish National Traffic Agency from 2011–2016. Frequencies of positivity for cocaine and/or BZE and concentration of such substances were obtained. Comparisons and univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed. Drivers who tested positive for cocaine and/or BZE accounted for 48.59% of the total positive results for drugs. In positive cases for both cocaine and BZE, other substances were detected in 81.74%: delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (68.19%), opioids (20.78%) and amphetamine-like substances (16.76%). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, the frequency of cocaine and/or BZE positive cases decreased with age (OR:0.97) and were less likely among women (OR:0.63). Concentrations (ng/mL) of cocaine (249.30) and BZE (137.90) were higher when both substances were detected together than when detected alone. Positivity to cocaine represented an important proportion among Spanish drivers who tested positive for drugs, and polysubstance use was especially observed in more than 8 out of 10 positive cases for cocaine and/or BZE.

Driving under the Influence of Psychotropic Substances: A Technical Interpretation

“…Cocaine use is associated with an average of 2 to 10 times higher risk of serious injury or fatality in road accidents, according to the findings of the Project Driving Under the Influence of Drugs, Alcohol and Medicines (DRUID) [19].…”

Trends in the Use of Driving-Impairing Medicines According to the DRUID Category: A Population-Based Registry Study with Reference to Driving in a Region of Spain between 2015 and 2019

“…Awareness of the role of these substances in driving is increasing, as is the implementation of appropriate interventions [8][9][10]. It is well known that alcohol and illicit drugs such as opioids, cocaine, and cannabis can impair a driver's psychomotor performance [11][12][13][14].…”