The prevalence of drug- and alcohol-related accidents and incidents in Australian civil aviation is low, but fatality rates are high, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau has found.
The bureau studied accidents and incidents involving drugs and alcohol in Australia between January 1975 and March 2006. There were 36 such events, most related to alcohol, and they accounted for 0.02% of all incidents. Fatal accidents accounted for 67% of all drug and alcohol occurrences.
Australia plans to introduce mandatory drug and alcohol testing of aviation personnel.
Source: Flight International
