Speed don't kill people, benzos do...

Special Circumstances

https://www.rte.ie/news/2016/1118/832611-roads-drugs/

An internal report by the Road Safety Authority has found that 30% of people who died in road crashes in Ireland in 2013 had taken prescription medicine.

The report, obtained by RTÉ News under the Freedom of Information Act, found that prescribed sedatives are almost as common as alcohol in road deaths.


The facts of the report honestly don't surprise me, there are buckets of people out there rolling around in a slushy mushy version of the real world. I've been saying it for years that it's a big problem.

Why was this hidden away in an internal report? They have all sorts of reports that this should have been included in even if they neglected to make it a standalone report for public consumption. Even in the RTE report they say "prescription drugs almost as common as alcohol" . C'mon like - 30% v 31%? Technically it's "almost", but it's a bit weaselly. Whether this secret report reveals if sedatives or other medicines known to cause drowsiness accounted for 5% or 25% or 30%... who knows!

For the record (depending on which corner of the RSA site you look at) today's number for excessive speed as ONE CONTRIBUTORY FACTOR in fatal incidents is 32%. As a SOLE factor the (revised upwards significantly in recent years) number is 19%.

colm_mcm

How many were smokers?

What percentage of the driving population is on prescription meds?

bazz26

How many were wearing hats?

colm_mcm

Did they have their lights on?

antodeco

colm_mcm wrote: »

Did they have their lights on?

Fogs?? :pac:

alchemist33

From the RTE report...

Benzodiazepine, a sedative-hypnotic drug that slows down the body's functions, was the most common prescription drug found in the toxicology reports.

Tsk tsk, very sloppy reporting. "Benzodiazepine" is not a drug; it's a class of drugs.

Special Circumstances

colm_mcm wrote: »

How many were smokers?

bazz26 wrote: »

How many were wearing hats?

colm_mcm wrote: »

Did they have their lights on?

Ouch, I take it all back lads benzodiazepane is perfectly compatible with safe and responsible driving but 140kph on a quiet motorway is insanity.

Unfollow.

Atlantic Dawn

There should be checks on peoples mobile phone activity in the minutes leading up to a crash too, those figures would be interesting.

The Backwards Man

In my day bennies and speed were the same thing, I'm not down with the new lingo at all.

Cheensbo

The Backwards Man wrote: »

In my day bennies and speed were the same thing, I'm not down with the new lingo at all.

You're not down with the old lingo either I'm afraid :pac:

Are dead crash victims blood tested as a matter of interest?

diomed

That RTE piece does not say if prescription drugs, alcohol, illegal drugs were found in combination e.g. prescription plus alcohol.
It reads as if three distinct groups of users/abusers were in accidents. RTE just picked a headline out of the report.

I assumed it was down to suicide when I heard this initially.

Pop a few benzos before hand to numb the pain.

RobAMerc

again - more proof that "speed kills" is lazy and over simplified.

I'm pretty sure there is no good speed to hit a wall !

There is a million reasons people crash and die, speeding is nowhere near as big a cause as its made out to be - it is the easiest to tax though!

Skommando

like it or not speed also kills, no point in kidding yourself otherwise

Renegade Mechanic

Can't wait for the insurance angle :pac:

RobAMerc

RobAMerc wrote: »

There is a million reasons people crash and die

Skommando wrote: »

like it or not speed also kills, no point in kidding yourself otherwise

My post didn't say any different, please dont take this as your cue to lecture, we heard the same ads you did.

Skommando

RobAMerc wrote: »

My post didn't say any different, please dont take this as your cue to lecture, we heard the same ads you did.

Actually you can save your trigger happy lecture, the post wasn't even addressed to you.
What's this we business ? Who are you speaking for and representing exactly ? All speeding drivers ?

Skatedude

the article in the independent stated 30% of crash victims were on prescription drugs. And if you google , you will find that the independent also recently stated that 31% of the population is on long term prescription drugs.

So complete non news.