Association between Substance Abuse and Road Traffic Accidents in Iraq

Background: The relationship between substance abuse and traffic accidents is an ongoing relationship, as it is considered one of the most dangerous global accidents that cause deaths in the world. Aims and Objectives: The aim of the study is to identify the relationship between substance abuse and road traffic accidents in Iraq. Materials and Methods: The samples were collected from the records in the Iraqi ministry of health and websites affiliated with the World Health Organization. The sample was selected in a comprehensive manner and included seven main governorates distributed from northern, southern, and central Iraq. The process of collecting recorded data continued for 2 consecutive months in the first quarter of the year, 2024. “Percentage, frequency, and odds ratios” were one of the features of SPSS version (28) that was used to examine the data. Results: According to this study, the proportion of men was two-thirds that of women, children died in traffic accidents at a higher rate than adults or the elderly, and the Baghdad Governorate had the highest rate of traffic accident deaths. Conclusion: This study concluded that the relationship between traffic accidents and substance abuse, such as driving a car and riding a motorcycle, was positive, while the relationship between traffic accidents and drug abuse, such as Pedestrian and others, was negative.