Global Journal of Medical Research, K: Interdisciplinary, Volume 22 Issue 3

alcohol and marijuana while driving. A study that was con- ducted by [3] to determine the use of alcohol and marijuana in Pakistan commercial drivers. A sample of bus and truck drivers were interviewed at the largest commercial vehicle terminals. Statistically, different patterns of usage are seen between population subgroups based on age, ethnicity, education, and marital status [4]. T his study is to com- pare whether or not those prevailing conditions are similar to commercial driversin Ghana. According to the Ghana Road Safety Commission, the major cause of road accidents in Ghana is due to over speeding. This accounts for 60 percent of car crashes in the country. This rising figures calls for review of the causes of these accidents. In a research conducted by [5, 6 ] o n the prevalence of alcohol in injured Swedish drivers, the result indicated that 38 percent of the fatally injured drivers tested positive to alcohol. In a research conducted by [7] o n several commercial drivers andtheir Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) to determined the association betweenBAC and road traffic accidents for these drivers. It was found that a relationship between BAC and the risk of becoming involved in a road traffic accident existed. Roadside studies conducted in the United States found that [8] 1 7 percent of the drivers had a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) above the legal limit By comparing this figure to the European roadside studies [9], the percentage is a bit higher. Taking into account that the legal limit for driving in the United States of America can be higher than in Europe (0.08 percent versus 0.05 percent). b) Road accidents related to Cannabis and Tobacco abuses Smoking a cigarette can be regarded as a secondary task that may potentially distract from the primary driving task, or at least causes the driver to divide his attention between both activities when lighting up and extinguishing the cigarette [10]. Nicotine is known for its cognitive enhancing effects by reducing reaction time and increasing alertness. It can be hypothesized that smoking may actually improve driving performance. A few driving studies have focused on the effects of nicotine abstinence on driving performance [10]. A research conducted by [11] reported no difference in simulated driving performance between those who smoked a cigarette during the test and control subjects. Penning et al., (2010) however, indicated that when smokers had to refrain from smoking, they performed significantly worse. Surprisingly, a study conducted by [10] confirmed that driving performance of craving smokers significantly improved to normal (nonsmoker) levels after allowing them a cigarette. Cannabis is to be the next most common drug of abuse found in drivers after alcohol [10]. A study from New Zealand reported that almost 21 percent of young drivers admitted that they had driven at least once after smoking cannabis [12]. Approximately 60 percent of the interviewed Australian nightclub attendees re- ported that they were driven home by someone under the influence of tetrahydro- cannabinol (THC) or that they drove themselves after smoking cannabis [13] Roadside studies by [10] in dicated that 15 percent of drivers drive under the influence of one or more drugs of abuse. After drug use, drivers are more often culpable for an accident than non-users. Other drugs also implicated include benzodiazepines, cocaine, opiates, and amphetamines [14]. T his study is to use a mathematical model to determine whether those conditions are the same in developing countries, especially Ghana. A study of fatally injured drivers in Australia showed that when marijuana waspresent in the blood of the driver, he or she was much more likely to be at fault for the accident [15]. T he matter of concern is not the rising figures nor the statistics of drug or alcohol use by commercial vehicle drivers but factors associated with the use of these chemical substances. This study is therefore to determine the social factors associated with substance by drivers as well as the commonest substances that are abuse by these drivers in Ghana [16]. c) Road accidents related to drugs and substance abuse Generally, inhalants are commonly abused drugs by some commercial drivers in Ghana. The findings of [2] in dicated that 0.1 percent of Spanish drivers admit- ted to have driven at least once after non medical use of inhalants. Moreover, researchers in Australia indicated that 5 percent interviewed drug users admitted ever driven under the influence of an inhalant Darke [17]. Investigations among US students indicated that 5.2 percent had abused inhalants before the ages of 18 years and approximately 62 percent of them had driven a car while under the influence of alcohol or drugs [18]. [18] examined the effects of inhalants on psycho-motor functioning. The result indicated that inhalants significantly impaired auditory reaction time, coordination and estimation. Moreover, memory function was also affected. Researchers also concluded that the subjects were much more tired after using isoflurane and sevoflurane. [19] reported that inhalants are abused, they can cause hallucinations and distortions in perception as well. In addition, impaired muscle coordination and body balance may lead to road traffic accidents. [20] supported these findings and added, slurred speech, euphoria and decreased reflexes as commonly reported side effects. 28 Year 2022 Global Journal of Medical Research Volume XXII Issue III Version I ( D ) K © 2022 Global Journals Factors Influencing the use and Abuse of Drugs by Commercial Drivers: A Case of Commercial Drivers in Ghana