Alcohol Use, Illicit Drug Use, and Road Rage

Objective: This article examines the relationship between the consumption of alcohol and illicit drugs and the experience of road-rage victimization and perpetration among drivers and nondrivers in the general population. Method: A cross-sectional survey was designed with 2,500 subjects, ages 14-70 years, living in Castile and Leon, Spain, of which 1,276 (51%) were males and 1,224 (49%) females. The Alcohol-Use And Drug-Use Survey of Castile and Leon, Spain 2008 focused on patterns of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug consumption. Potential risk factors for road-rage experience for the previous 12 months was assessed, including sociodemographics (7 variables), patterns of alcohol consumption (7 variables), and patterns of drug consumption (10 variables). Results: Among drivers, driving under the influence of alcohol and/or cannabis during the previous year was associated with being a perpetrator of road rage (odds ratio [OR] = 3.72, 95% CI [1.71, 8.10] and 6.77 [1.55, 29.48], respectively), being both a victim and perpetrator of road rage (OR = 1.80 [1.05, 3.07] for alcohol, 5.34 [1.64, 17.41] for cannabis, and 4.81 [1.09, 21.16] for alcohol and cannabis), and with serious road-rage perpetration (OR = 4.97 [2.40, 10.30] for alcohol and 17.75 [5.88, 53.56] for cannabis). Problem drinking (CAGE scores >= 2) was associated with being both a victim and perpetrator of road rage (OR = 2.74 [1.67, 4.50]) and with low (OR = 1.77 [1.09, 2.85]) and serious (OR = 3.47 [1.65, 7.30]) road-rage perpetration. Conclusions: Driving under the influence of alcohol or cannabis and being a problem drinker are associated with the perpetration of serious road-rage behavior, as well as experiencing road-rage victimization and perpetration. (J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs, 72, 185-193, 2011)