North America Laboratory Survey Data for Drug Testing in Drug Impaired Driving and Traffic Fatality Investigations.

In 2004, the National Safety Council's Alcohol, Drugs and Impairment Division (NSC-ADID) set out to provide guidance for the standardization of laboratory testing practices in driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) and fatal motor vehicle crash investigations after identifying a lack of consistency in testing practices in this type of casework. A survey about laboratory testing practices, scopes of testing, and cutoffs was created using SurveyMonkey®, an online survey instrument, and sent to laboratories throughout the United States and Canada. Based on analysis of survey results and discussion, the first set of recommendations was published in 2007 with recommended scope and cutoffs for drug screening and confirmation in blood and urine.

Hydroxyzine in Impaired Driving Investigations.

Hydroxyzine (Vistaril©) is an unscheduled, first-generation antihistamine prescribed for nausea/vomiting, atopic dermatitis or eczema, and anxiety. It can produce adverse central nervous system depressant (CNS) effects such as fatigue, sedation, and impaired memory and concentration. Several clinical studies have shown hydroxyzine is able to impair driving and psychomotor function; however, no case series have been published highlighting driving performance and roadside observations in driving under the influence of drugs investigations (DUID).

Recommendations for Toxicological Investigation of Drug-Impaired Driving and Motor Vehicle Fatalities-2021 Update.

This report describes updates to the National Safety Council's Alcohol, Drugs and Impairment Division's recommendations for drug testing in driving under the influence of drug (DUID) cases and motor vehicle fatalities. The updates are based on a survey of drug testing practices in laboratories in the USA and Canada, a comprehensive review of the prior recommendations and data and research on drugs most frequently detected in DUID cases. A consensus meeting was held with representative forensic science practitioners and the authors of this report to update recommendations.

Recommendations for Toxicological Investigation of Drug-Impaired Driving and Motor Vehicle Fatalities-2017 Update.

This report describes the outcomes of a process undertaken to review and update the National Safety Council's Alcohol, Drugs and Impairment Division's recommendations for the toxicological investigation of suspected alcohol and drug-impaired driving cases and motor vehicle fatalities. The updates to the recommendations are made based on a survey of practices in laboratories in the USA and Canada performing testing in these cases, consideration of existing epidemiological crash and arrest data, current drug use patterns, and practical considerations of widely available technology platforms in laboratories performing this work. The final recommendations updates are derived from a consensus meeting of experts recruited from survey respondents and the membership of the National Safety Council's Alcohol, Drug and Impairment Division.