§ Mr. David StewartTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what research his Department has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the number of road (i) deaths and (ii) accidents each year which would not occur if people taking tranquillisers did not drive. [62685]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonThe Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions is presently conducting a three-year survey, which started in October 1996, into the incidence of drugs (legal or illegal) in fatal road accident victims. A report on interim results to 7 January 1998 was published on 11 February 1998. My written answer of that date,Official Report, column 233, explained that a copy was being placed in the Library.
This survey will not provide evidence of accident causation but it will help to establish the extent of drug use among road users. the interim results show that medicinal drugs were present in some 6 per cent. of road accident fatalities (drivers, passengers, pedestrians, cyclists).