Recently there has been an increase in awareness of the role of drugs other than alcohol in the causation of road accidents and deaths, with the most recent report indicating that 33% of all Victorian (Australia) road fatalities are drug (other than alcohol) related (TAC, 2006). Currently in Victoria, one of the classes of drugs reported to be of most concern is the amphetamines. The epidemiological driving literature highlights a possible association between amphetamine use and road crashes. However, since the cognitive research generally indicates cognitive enhancing properties following amphetamine consumption, it remains unclear how amphetamines may be related to adverse driving. The present thesis was designed to explore this issue. In response to the increasing number of drug-related road fatalities, the Standardised Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs), designed and validated for the detection and assessment of impairment associated with alcohol intoxication, are currently being employed by the Victoria Police (Australia) for the identification of driving impairment associated with drugs other than alcohol. The present thesis was designed to evaluate whether the SFSTs are a sensitive measure for identifying impairment associated with a single acute therapeutic amphetamine dose. Furthermore, the accuracy of using the SFSTs to detect driving impairment associated with these amphetamine doses was also evaluated. The present thesis examined the effects of a single acute therapeutic dose of various amphetamine preparations, on simulated driving performance, driving-related cognitive processes (assessed using standard cognitive tasks and the electroencephalogram [EEG]), and performance on the SFSTs, in healthy, stimulant-using, non-fatigued adults. The present thesis consisted of five separate experiments. The first three experiments examined the effects of d-amphetamine, d,l-methamphetamine, and d-methamphetamine, on simulated driving performance, driving-related cognitive processes, and performance on the SFSTs. Experiment 4 and Experiment 5 assessed the effects of d-amphetamine and dmethamphetamine on visual and auditory cognitive processes using the EEG. These forms of amphetamines were selected as they are commonly used recreationally by young adult drivers, and occupationally by truck drivers. Experiment 1, Experiment 2, and Experiment 3 employed a repeated-measures, counterbalanced, double blind, placebo-controlled design. In each experiment, twenty different (i.e. 60 participants in total) healthy volunteers (10 males and 10 females) completed two treatment conditions i) placebo and ii) 0.42mg/kg amphetamine (~30mg). Driving performance was assessed using a driving simulator task, which consisted of four driving tasks; �freeway traffic driving� and �city traffic driving� in both day and night conditions. Cognitive performance was assessed using a range of computer and pen and paper tasks designed to assess attention, psychomotor performance, and perceptual speed. Specifically, the tasks were: the Digit Span Test; a Digit Vigilance task; a Movement Estimation Task; the Digit Symbol Substitution Test; a Tracking Task; the Trail-Making Test; and the Inspection Time task. SFSTs performance was assessed using the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) test, the Walk and Turn (WAT) test, and the One Leg Stand (OLS) test. Three blood and saliva samples were obtained throughout all experimental sessions (120, 170, and 240 minutes after drug administration). The results indicated that 0.42mg/kg d-amphetamine significantly impaired simulated driving performance, in recreational stimulant users, 2-3 hours post-drug administration, when mean blood amphetamine concentrations were approximately 90ng/mL. No significant driving decrements were observed following d,l-methamphetamine or dmethamphetamine, when methamphetamine blood concentrations were 90ng/mL and 70ng/mL, respectively. There were only few driving behaviours that were found to be significantly reduced with d-amphetamine, such as reductions in signalling adherence and driving too fast for the traffic conditions. However, during all three amphetamine conditions, drivers travelled at a slower speed on the freeway at the time that an emergency situation occurred, relative to the placebo condition. It was argued that either this may result from more cautious driving, or that the reduction in speed acted as a compensatory mechanism to permit drivers to attend to other aspects of driving. Overall, the present results indicate that a therapeutic dose of amphetamine does not produce considerable impairment to driving, as only minimal amphetamine effects were observed on driving performance. In terms of cognitive performance, the results indicated that a therapeutic dose of various amphetamines has minimal effect on driving-related cognitive functioning, with some significant improvements noted in aspects of attention, psychomotor functioning and perceptual speed. This is consistent with the failure to identify significant driving impairments, described above, following a similar dose. However, the ability to perceive and predict motion and estimate �time to contact�, assessed using a movement estimation task, was affected following d-amphetamine and d-methamphetamine consumption. In terms of performance on the SFSTs, the present thesis demonstrated that following the administration of low-level d-amphetamine, d,l-methamphetamine, and dmethamphetamine, performance on the SFSTs was not impaired. Using the SFSTs, impairment associated with low dose d-amphetamine was identified in only 5% of cases, dmethamphetamine in 5% of cases, and d,l-methamphetamine in 0% of cases. These findings indicate that the degree of impairment produced with the low amphetamine dosing conditions was below the threshold of sensitivity of the SFSTs. However, as significant impairments in driving were not observed with amphetamines, the present SFSTs findings highlight that these tests are unlikely to produce false positive results during police drug evaluation procedures for amphetamine-related impairments. Experiment 4 and Experiment 5 similarly employed a repeated-measures, counterbalanced, double blind, placebo-controlled design. In each experiment, twenty healthy volunteers (10 males and 10 females) completed two treatment conditions i) placebo and ii) 0.42mg/kg amphetamine (~30mg). Tasks designed to assess visual and auditory cognitive functions relevant to driving were administered. Specifically, these processes were: divergent visual system pathways (magnocellular and parvocellular pathways); aspects of visual field processing (central and peripheral visual fields); mismatch negativity (MMN); prepulse inhibition (PPI); selective attention; resource allocation; and speed of processing. Two blood and saliva samples were obtained throughout all experimental session (120 and 200 minutes after drug administration). d-amphetamine and d-methamphetamine generally improved cognitive functioning, as assessed with visual and auditory ERP indices. Specifically, the results demonstrated that a low-level acute dose of d-amphetamine and d-methamphetamine improved early processing of visual information (indexed by improvements to the P100 component for the magnocellular and parvocellular visual pathways). In addition, d-methamphetamine improved the speed at which visual information was evaluated and processed (indexed by decreases in P300 latency), which was consistent with d-methamphetamine-related improvements in reaction time. There was a trend for d-amphetamine to improve the speed that changes in auditory stimulation were automatically detected (indexed by decreases in MMN latency). In addition, d-methamphetamine improved the ability to automatically �screen out� irrelevant and intrusive auditory information (indexed by increases in PPI of the startle response). d-amphetamine was found to improve the speed at which auditory information was evaluated and processed (indexed by decreases in P300 latency), which was substantiated with corresponding improvements in reaction time and accuracy. Although amphetamines were generally shown to enhance ERP indices, a trend was found for d-amphetamine to differentially affect different regions of the visual field, in terms of selective attention. Specifically, there was a trend-level indication that d-amphetamine improved indices of selective attention (denoted by increases in N200 amplitude) for information presented centrally, but impaired indices of selective attention (denoted by decreases in N200 amplitude) for information presented in the periphery. Although impairments to the peripheral visual field were not similarly observed with dmethamphetamine, decrements to indices of selective attention (denoted by decreases in N200 amplitude) were also found with d-methamphetamine during the auditory oddball task. In terms of driving, these results suggest that drivers dosed with low-level amphetamine may not selectively attend to and discriminate changes within the traffic environment, although further research is required to confirm this. In conclusion, the present thesis has demonstrated that a single acute therapeutic dose of amphetamine produces minimal and inconsistent effects to driving. However, some (inconsistent) evidence was found that suggests that there may be mild impairments such as decreased ability to perceive and predict motion, tunnel vision effects, and decrements to selective attention. In addition, the present thesis highlights that at therapeutic doses, amphetamines do not impair SFSTs performance, which is in accordance with the failure to identify substantive amphetamine-related decrements to driving and cognitive functioning observed in the present thesis.

Given the high prevalence of automobile collisions in the United States, the need for collision prevention research is evident. To understand the complete cause of these incidents, it is critical to examine the drivers perception of these situations. This study involved simulations of multiple driving situations variant on luminance, rate of closure, and vehicle motions. Findings suggest changes in brake onset times of younger drivers based on roles of a lead vehicle. Multiple perceptually different rear end collisions caused participants to alter their brake onset times. The brake onset times were used to analyze braking models, including constant distance and constant tau. Additional analysis included correlations of the effects Useful Field of View and Test Anxiety on brake onset times. Effects identified not only aid in the general understanding of driving behavior, but also facilitate the application of driver assistive systems, which are currently being integrated into production vehicles.

The traffic accident all causes the greatest damage and the loss of the world. There are approximate million people to die and about 10 million people to be injured every year of the traffic accident of the world, but middle develops countries have the highest ratio of accident. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration a preliminary appraisal shows that number of death of drunk driving is highest for 14 years of the United States., 2006. Ruthm(1996) and Wilkinson(1987) indicate that the main reason of all age¡¦s populace is the traffic accident fatality on the United States. Phelp(1988) found that there are 5,100 people death for the serious traffic accident in 1980¡¦s of the United States. Above show drunk driving is serious and necessary of discussion. In the past, the research about drunk driving, the kinds of data are cross-section¡Btime series and panel data. The tradition econometrics data have two estimate methods¡GFirst is the Ordinary Least Square; second is the Least Absolute Deviation. The two way¡¦s common characteristic is comprehensive discussion. Therefore the study draw on Quantile Regression and that is analysis of drunk driving of the United States. By the research, we can find that in different rats of fatality must be to take the different policy measure to improve the fatality of drunk driving. Not like other research only provide the concise suggestion.

Thesis ( Ph.D. ) -- University of Texas at Arlington, 2008.

Thesis (M.S.) -- Central Connecticut State University, 2008. / Thesis advisor: Stephen M. Cox. "... in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Criminal Justice." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 31-36). Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.S.)--Florida State University, 2003. / Advisor: Dr. Jon S. Bailey, Florida State University, College of Arts and Sciences, Dept. of Psychology. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Oct. 6, 2003). Includes bibliographical references.

Although the impairing effects produced by alcohol and their direct effect on the driving task have been well defined for decades, similar information on the effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) following cannabis use in relation to driving skill is lacking. A combination of experimental and epidemiological studies is presented that examine the effects of THC on driving and collision risk. Preliminary data from a driving simulation study explores how THC impairs driving ability both acutely and residually and consideration is given to the challenges faced when conducting this type of research. Epidemiological data from a population-level survey demonstrate that the self-reported concurrent behaviours of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUIA) and driving under the influence of cannabis (DUIC) impart an increased risk of past-year collision more than 3 times greater than reporting driving after using a single substance, or not driving following substance use.

Although the impairing effects produced by alcohol and their direct effect on the driving task have been well defined for decades, similar information on the effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) following cannabis use in relation to driving skill is lacking. A combination of experimental and epidemiological studies is presented that examine the effects of THC on driving and collision risk. Preliminary data from a driving simulation study explores how THC impairs driving ability both acutely and residually and consideration is given to the challenges faced when conducting this type of research. Epidemiological data from a population-level survey demonstrate that the self-reported concurrent behaviours of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUIA) and driving under the influence of cannabis (DUIC) impart an increased risk of past-year collision more than 3 times greater than reporting driving after using a single substance, or not driving following substance use.

To date very few studies have examined the difference in driving patterns between winter and non-winter driving and those that have, have primarily used self-report. The purpose of this study was to determine if there were changes in trip distance between winter/non-winter and inclement/non-inclement driving in older adults using a sub-set of Candrive participants. Candrive is a longitudinal study examining the everyday driving patterns and habits of older drivers. Participants were recruited from seven different sites in Canada (Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Hamilton, Thunder Bay, Winnipeg, and Victoria). In total 279 participants (of which 248 were kept for analyses of City Only Trips) were included for analysis, almost 50% were female, with an average age at enrolment of 77.5 ± 5.2 years. A total of 377,464 trips were taken on 866 different days. It was found that there was a 7% decrease in trip distance during winter when controlling for day and site when examining all trips taken by older drivers. In addition, there was a 1% decrease in trip distance during winter and a 5% increase in trip distance during rain when compared to no precipitation when controlling for precipitation type (or winter respectively), day, and site, when only looking at trips in the city. There was a minimal (albeit significant) change in trip distance associated with both winter and inclement weather conditions, suggesting that older drivers may not be adjusting their driving patterns during these conditions as much as was previously thought based on the self-report literature.

Introduction: To date, there has been little research on driving or transportation use in retirement living seniors or the associations with quality of life, including staying active, socially engaged and connected with the outside community. This thesis is part of a larger project being conducted by a team of researchers at the University of Waterloo to examine these issues in collaboration with the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging, the Schlegel Villages and Luther Village on the Park. Purpose: The primary objectives of this thesis were to: 1) examine the actual driving practices and other modes of travel in relation to functional abilities and other characteristics; 2) examine associations between driving and other modes of travel with community engagement; 3) examine fall status and compare fallers and non-fallers; and 4) compare current drivers to a sample of former drivers with respect to falls, balance confidence, depression, activity levels in and out of Village (engagement) and travel patterns. Methods: A convenience sample of 55 drivers (mean age 81.9 ± 6.2, 49% male) from five retirement villages located in Southern Ontario were assessed between February and October, 2013. Participants completed questionnaires (background and driving history, activities inside and outside the village), scales (depression, well-being, self-reported driving restrictions, perceived driving abilities, balance and driving confidence) and assessments of cognition and executive function, lower body mobility and contrast sensitivity. In addition, participant vehicles were equipped with two electronic data logging devices (vehicle diagnostics and GPS) for two weeks, while they concurrently kept trip logs (for driving trips) and travel diaries (for non-driving trips). Falls were assessed through both self-report and incident reports from the villages. Similar data (from scales, questionnaires, travel diaries, falls) previously collected on a sample of 20 former drivers from these retirement villages was merged into the database to permit statistical comparisons between current and former drivers. Primary Results: Overall, the sample reported driving less after moving to the villages. Compared to prior studies with community seniors, older drivers living in the retirement villages had more restricted driving practices. Residents who were considering driving cessation were not only restricting their driving, but had diminished functional abilities, were more likely to fall, had worse balance and driving confidence, and were less engaged with the community. Compared to current drivers, former drivers were more likely to have fallen in the past year, had lower balance confidence, and were less active outside the village, although they were equally socially engaged. Level of independent living (townhomes versus apartments or suites, versus assisted living rooms) emerged as a significant predictor of community engagement. When level of independent living was controlled for, greater community engagement was associated with younger age, being able to walk 1/4 mile and better balance confidence scores. Driving status approached significance with higher community engagement scores associated with being a current (versus former) driver. Conclusions: The results indicate that although residents of retirement villages may not drive as much as community living seniors, continuing to drive enables them to stay more connected to the broader community. Although few had considered driving cessation prior to relocation, about half the sample were now considering this transition. Retirement living may make the transition to driving cessation easier, particularly for those who take advantage of village shuttle buses and retain the ability to walk to shops and services in the area. Alternate modes of transportation are critical as older adults retire from driving to ensure continued mobility and independence, as well as to maintain productive community and social engagement.