The effects of methamphetamine on driving performance and behavior: A thematic linking of consumption patterns and cognitive-behavioral outcomes from in-depth interviews with methamphetamine users

Steven Love; Bevan Rowland

doi:10.1080/15389588.2025.2541902

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The effects of methamphetamine on driving performance and behavior: A thematic linking of consumption patterns and cognitive-behavioral outcomes from in-depth interviews with methamphetamine users

Journal article

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Peer reviewed

The effects of methamphetamine on driving performance and behavior: A thematic linking of consumption patterns and cognitive-behavioral outcomes from in-depth interviews with methamphetamine users

Steven Love and Bevan Rowland

Traffic Injury Prevention, Vol.27(5), pp.517-525

2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15389588.2025.2541902

PMID: 40853734

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Abstract

methamphetamine

dependence

drug use

drugged driving

impaired driving

Objective This study sought to investigate the thematic links between methamphetamine (MA) users’ consumption patterns; their perceptions about the effects that MA has on their thoughts, feelings, and behavior; and their tendency to drive following MA consumption. Methods Seventeen MA users were recruited through a combination of social media advertising and third-party outreach. Participants completed a semi-structured interview lasting approximately 30 min. Interview data were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify key patterns undermining impaired driving behavior. Results An overarching theme revealed that participants’ beliefs about MA use and their tendency to drive while intoxicated were largely dependent on their history and patterns of MA use. Three primary profiles of MA users were identified: (a) sporadic users, who used “speed” infrequently and in the context of social situations; (b) progressed users, who described similar initial patterns but had progressed to frequent use of more potent “crystal” MA and displayed characteristics of substance dependency; and (c) regressed users, who acknowledged a previous history of problematic use, but had since reduced their use patterns significantly. Where sporadic users tended to perceive MA as detrimental to their attention and behavior on the road, progressed users commonly believed that MA positively influenced their driving. However, it was typically acknowledged among all users that regardless of intoxication, extended MA use could lead to significant driving risk due to the severe cognitive (erratic thinking) and behavioral (aggression) symptoms associated with fatigue and the ‘come down’ of MA. Finally, the analysis showed that the tendency to drive while intoxicated was contextual to participants’ beliefs about the associated cognitive-behavioral outcomes of MA use. Conclusions The findings highlight how MA use patterns and perceptions contribute to impaired driving behaviors. These insights can inform the development of more targeted interventions addressing the interconnected issues of substance dependence and drug-impaired driving.

Details

Title: The effects of methamphetamine on driving performance and behavior: A thematic linking of consumption patterns and cognitive-behavioral outcomes from in-depth interviews with methamphetamine users
Authors: Steven Love (Corresponding Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Road Safety Research Collaboration
Bevan Rowland - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Road Safety Research Collaboration
Publication details: Traffic Injury Prevention, Vol.27(5), pp.517-525
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Inc.
Date published: 2026
DOI: 10.1080/15389588.2025.2541902
ISSN: 1538-957X
PMID: 40853734
Copyright note: © 2025 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way. The terms on which this article has been published allow the posting of the Accepted Manuscript in a repository by the author(s) or with their consent.
Data Availability: The datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are not publicly available due to ethical restrictions. However, de-identified data may be made available upon reasonable request to the corresponding author, subject to approval by the relevant institutional ethics committee.
Grant note: This study was funded by a grant between the Queensland Motor Accident Insurance Commission and the University of the Sunshine Coast.
Organisation Unit: Road Safety Research Collaboration; School of Law and Society
Language: English
Record Identifier: 991162945902621
Output Type: Journal article

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