Drugs of abuse analysis in fatal victims of road traffic and labour accidents in the centre of Portugal between 1990 and 2007

Abstract

Driving under the influence of drugs is an issue of growing concern in the industrialized countries as a risk and a cause for road and labour accidents. The aim of this study was to assess the presence of drugs of abuse among drivers and workers involved in fatal accidents between January 1990 and December 2007, by presenting the requests and toxicological results of corresponding autopsies, from the Pathology Service of the Centre Branch of the National Institute of Legal Medicine and from a Legal Medicine Office. In the Forensic Pathology Service, between 1990 and 2007, a total of 3095 autopsies on road traffic accidents victims and 261 on labour accidents victims were performed and 336 28, respectively, in the office. In both cases, few requests and analyses of drugs of abuse were performed, emphasising the fact that the major percentage of the accidents involved individuals aged between 21 and 30 years-old, ages where the consumption is more often. Nevertheless, from the 261 victims of labour accidents autopsied, only 7 were subject of drug analysis, all with negative results