Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36577956›Full record

ArticleBMC public health2022

Randomly controlled drivers using minimally invasive sampling: assessment of drug prevalence in Western Switzerland over two time periods.

Timothée Joye, Julien Déglon, Nicolas Donzé, Federica Gilardi, Jonathan Sidibé, Bernard Favrat, Marc Augsburger, Aurélien Thomas

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC public health, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
1.0field-weighted citation impact, top 28% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Interpol review of forensic toxicology, 2023-2025.Forensic science international. Synergy · 2026
    Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Timothée JoyeForensic Toxicology and Chemistry Unit, University Center of Legal Medicine Lausanne-Geneva, Lausanne University Hospital, Geneva University Hospital, Chemin de la Vulliette 4, Lausanne 25, 1000, Switzerland.
Julien DéglonForensic Toxicology and Chemistry Unit, University Center of Legal Medicine Lausanne-Geneva, Lausanne University Hospital, Geneva University Hospital, Chemin de la Vulliette 4, Lausanne 25, 1000, Switzerland.
Nicolas DonzéClinical Chemistry and Toxicology Unit, Valais Hospital, Avenue du Grand Champsec 86, Sion, 1950, Switzerland.
Federica GilardiFaculty Unit of Toxicology, University Center of Legal Medicine Lausanne-Geneva, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Chemin de la Vulliette 4, Lausanne 25, 1000, Switzerland.
Jonathan SidibéForensic Toxicology and Chemistry Unit, University Center of Legal Medicine Lausanne-Geneva, Lausanne University Hospital, Geneva University Hospital, Chemin de la Vulliette 4, Lausanne 25, 1000, Switzerland.
Bernard FavratUnit of traffic medicine and traffic psychology, University Center of Legal Medicine Lausanne-Geneva, Lausanne University Hospital, Geneva University Hospital, Rue Saint-Martin 26, Lausanne, 1005, Switzerland.
Marc Augsburger *Forensic Toxicology and Chemistry Unit, University Center of Legal Medicine Lausanne-Geneva, Lausanne University Hospital, Geneva University Hospital, Chemin de la Vulliette 4, Lausanne 25, 1000, Switzerland. Marc.Augsburger@chuv.ch.
Aurélien Thomas *Forensic Toxicology and Chemistry Unit, University Center of Legal Medicine Lausanne-Geneva, Lausanne University Hospital, Geneva University Hospital, Chemin de la Vulliette 4, Lausanne 25, 1000, Switzerland.
University Centre of Legal Medicine · CHCentre universitaire de médecine générale et santé publique, Lausanne · CHHôpital du Valais · CHUniversity of Lausanne · CH

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAccording to the World Health Organization, road traffic injuries lead to 1.3 million deaths each year and represent the leading cause of death for young adults under 30 years old. The use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol, drugs and pharmaceuticals, is a well-known risk factor for road traffic injuries. Our study aims to assess the prevalence of substances consumed by drivers in western Switzerland. Such studies are pivotal to improving prevention and developing public awareness campaigns.

methodsTo assess the prevalence of psychoactive substances among drivers, roadside controls were performed in collaboration with local police, using their classical sampling procedures to detect drivers under the influence of drugs or alcohol over two time periods (P1: 2006-2008, P2: 2017-2020). When impaired driving was not suspected by the police, minimally invasive sampling strategies (i.e., oral fluids during P1 and dried blood spots during P2) were performed on volunteer drivers after a road safety survey. A posteriori analyses and statistical interpretation were then performed.

resultsAmong the 1605 drivers included in the study, 1048 volunteers provided an oral fluid sample, while 299 provided a dried blood spot sample. The percentage of drivers testing positive for at least one substance that can impact driving abilities was stable over time, with a rate of 10.5% positivity measured over both periods. Considering the different categories of substances, a slight variation was observed between both periods, with 7.6 and 6.3% of pharmaceuticals and 3.6 and 4.9% of illicit drugs for P1 and P2, respectively. Regarding the consumption of illicit drugs, the highest percentage of positivity was measured in biological fluids of drivers under the age of 35, during nights and week-ends, periods which are considered particularly prone to fatal accidents for this age group. Disturbingly, the road safety survey highlighted that drivers' perception of the risk of getting positively controlled while driving after drug consumption is low (3.3 on a 1-to-10 scale, N = 299).

conclusionThe number of positive cases measured in voluntary drivers who passed the preliminary police check demonstrates the importance of systematic biofluid sampling strategies regarding driving under the influence of psychoactive substances. Although the number of fatal road accidents globally has decreased over time, the results of this study reveal the need for both better prevention and deterrent processes that could potentially reduce the risk of fatal road accidents associated with drug consumption.

Indexed as

Automobile DrivingIllicit DrugsSubstance-Related DisordersAccidents, TrafficAdultEthanolHumansInfantPrevalenceSubstance Abuse DetectionSwitzerlandYoung AdultEthanolIllicit DrugsDried blood spotsDriving under the influence of drugsMinimally invasive samplingOral fluidsPreventionPsychoactive substancesRoadside controls

Identifiers

PMID36577956
PMCPMC9795657
OpenAlexW4313417322

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.