New study reveals shocking statistic about road crashes and drug use in Victoria

One-in-eight people who are injured in road crashes have taken illegal drugs before they end up in major trauma centres in Melbourne, a shocking new study has found.

Soaring rates of ice use are fuelling the state’s drug injury toll, with doctors detecting methamphetamine in 77 per cent of people who used illicit substances before being in a crash.

Professor of emergency medicine at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, George Braitberg, says the statistic on drug-use before collisions “was only a surprise because I thought it might be a little bit more”.

In more than half of cases, drivers who were on drugs were involved in single vehicle accidents.

“Patients are disinhibited, they’re hypervigilant, they don’t think straight,” Professor Braitberg told Ross and Russel.

Press PLAY below to hear Professor Braitberg’s thoughts on drug use and car crashes