An update on drug-driving behaviours and attitudes towards drug driving in Australian consumers of ecstasy and related drugs: 2007-2013

ƒ A significant minority of REU reported engaging in specific harm reduction strategies as a result of the introduction of roadside drug testing. BACKGROUND Driving under the influence of illicit drugs and/or alcohol is a significant road safety concern (1-3). Although changes in actual crash risk vary between drugs, all illicit drugs are associated with cognitive and performance effects that are likely to negatively impact on road user behaviour to some degree (2). As a result, countermeasures such as roadside testing and television advertisements have been introduced, with Victoria establishing the first roadside testing regime in 2004 (2), with the remaining Australian jurisdictions following soon after (3). Matthews et al. have recently shown that there were significant changes in drug driving and related behaviours amongst regular ecstasy users (REU) recruited as part of the Ecstasy and Related Drug Reporting System (EDRS) between 2007 and 2011 (3). In particular, they found that reports of driving under the influence of illicit psychostimulant drugs declined between the two time points, but that this decline was not evident for alcohol and/ or cannabis. They also found significant variations across a range of associated variables such as age and drug use patterns. Their study spanned a period of four years and it is not clear whether the changes were different across different jurisdictions, which would be expected given the differences in the timeframe in which roadside testing was implemented in the different states and territories. In particular Victoria introduced roadside testing earlier than other regions and had the most intensive roadside testing regime of any of the Australian jurisdictions.