1 in 5 of Train Crews Tested Shows Drug or Alcohol Use, GAO Reports

One in five crews involved in train accidents last year had at least one member test positive for drugs or alcohol, the General Accounting Office reported Wednesday.

The finding came during a review by the investigative arm of Congress of the Federal Railroad Administration’s policy of requiring railroad workers in major accidents to submit to drug and alcohol tests.

The testing was struck down as unconstitutional on Feb. 11 by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. But the program is operating now while the Reagan Administration appeals.

20% Test ‘Positive’

Of 179 accidents during 1987, the GAO found at least one “positive” drug or alcohol finding in 37, or about 20%. The report did not identify in how many of those cases the drugs or alcohol figured in the accident.

In all, 42, or 5.5%, of 770 rail workers sampled last year following those accidents tested positive for alcohol or illicit drugs, the railroad agency reported. The agency, which is part of the Transportation Department, released its own figures this week in answer to a reporter’s query.

Those figures compared to 34, or 4.5%, testing positive during 1986, the agency said. However, agency officials cautioned against comparing 1986 to 1987 because analytical techniques for drug urine screening varied slightly and post-accident testing was not authorized until Feb. 10, 1986.

The GAO also reported that the amount of time needed to report drug and alcohol test results has substantially improved.

Reporting Time Reduced

In April, 1987, it took an average of 16.2 working days to report initial screening test results for accidents where all crew members tested negative. By October, the reporting time had been reduced to 4.8 working days, the GAO said. It takes longer when positive results are found, because they must be confirmed.