Drugs, Driving and Traffic Safety - by Joris C Verster & S R Pandi-Perumal & Jan G Ramaekers & Johan J De Gier (Hardcover)

About the Book

This book gives an overview of the effects of different psychoactive drugs and medications on driving ability. It includes a thorough discussion of the effects of alcohol and illicit drugs on driving ability and traffic safety.

Book Synopsis

Drugs, Driving and Traffic Safety gives a comprehensive overview of the effects of different medical conditions like neurological disorders, anxiety and depression and their pharmaceutical treatment on driving ability. In addition, the effects of alcohol and drugs of abuse are discussed.

Leading experts present the different methodologies to examine effects of drugs on driving, and summarize the recent scientific evidence including epidemiological studies, roadside surveys, laboratory tests, driving simulators, and the standardized driving test. The volume includes guidelines of the International Council on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety (ICADTS) and the ICADTS Drugs List 2007.

Drugs, Driving and Traffic Safety is written for physicians, psychiatrists and pharmacists who want to inform their patients who use psychoactive drugs.

From the Back Cover

Drugs, Driving and Traffic Safety gives a comprehensive overview of the effects of different medical conditions like neurological disorders, anxiety and depression and their pharmaceutical treatment on driving ability. In addition, the effects of alcohol and drugs of abuse are discussed.

Leading experts present the different methodologies to examine effects of drugs on driving, and summarize the recent scientific evidence including epidemiological studies, roadside surveys, laboratory tests, driving simulators, and the standardized driving test. The volume includes guidelines of the International Council on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety (ICADTS) and the ICADTS Drugs List 2007.

Drugs, Driving and Traffic Safety is written for physicians, psychiatrists and pharmacists who want to inform their patients who use psychoactive drugs.

Review Quotes

"This is a substantial volume with 59 contributors providing 30 chapters and 2 appendices. The various chapters cover the gamut of topics and issues related to drugs, driving and traffic safety and the editors are to be congratulated on recruiting an internationally diverse group of well-recognised authorities in the subject matter of the various fields of interest covered. 'Drugs and Driving' is arguably one of the broadest canvasses within Psychopharmacology but, by and large, these individual chapters do coalesce to give an integrated expert commentary. Basically there are three topic areas, though the book is in no way divided as such. The first contains contributions on aspects of health, epidemiology and traffic safety; the role of drugs and/or sleepiness as causal agents in traffic accidents; methods and measures for assessing car driving ability. The second area examines the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic properties of drugs; the effects of alcohol, cannabis, Ecstasy, hypnotics, anxiolytics and antidepressants on measures of driving ability and the relationship between drugs, driving and traffic safety in shift-workers, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), sleep apnoea, pain, allergic rhinitis and diabetes mellitus. Finally, there are papers discussing predictors of accidents and patterns of drug-involved traffic accidents and countermeasures and ways of reducing/preventing impaired drivers taking the wheel ... this excellent book will provide insight for those measuring, treating, regulating and researching the effects of psychoactive drugs on car driving ability and accident liability." Ian Hindmarch - Hum. Psychopharmacol Clin Exp 2010; 25: 191