NCJ Number
11082
Date Published
1973
Length
15 pages
Annotation
COMPARISON OF THE DRIVING RECORDS OF METHADONE PATIENTS WITH A SAMPLE OF RECORDS OF OTHER NEW YORK DRIVERS DURING THE SAME TIME PERIOD.
Abstract
THE METHADONE MAINTENANCE PATIENTS SELECTED FOR THIS STUDY WERE ALL 21 YEARS OR OLDER AND HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY ADDICTED TO A HEROIN OR OPIATE DRUG FOR AT LEAST FOUR YEARS. THEY HAD UNSUCCESSFULLY TRIED AN ALTERNATE MEANS OF TREATMENT AND WERE FREE FROM CLINICALLY EVIDENT SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL ILLNESS OR OTHER SERIOUS DISEASES. THE PATIENTS FOR WHOM DRIVING RECORDS WERE FOUND WERE CONSIDERABLY DIFFERENT FROM THE REGULAR ADMISSIONS TO THE METHADONE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM. THOSE WITH DRIVING RECORDS WERE MOSTLY MALES (95 PER CENT), WERE MORE LIKELY WHITE (66 PER CENT) AND TENDED TO BE YOUNGER. WHEN A COMPARISON WAS MADE WITHIN SPECIFIC AGE GROUPS, IT WAS LEARNED THAT THE ACCIDENT AND CONVICTION RATES WERE ABOUT THE SAME FOR METHADONE MAINTENANCE CLIENTS AS FOR A SAMPLE OF NEW YORK CITY MALE DRIVERS WITHIN THE SAME PERIOD. THE FINDINGS FROM OTHER RELATED STUDIES DISCUSSED IN THIS BOOKLET ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE RESULTS IN THIS STUDY. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)