Drug use by drivers is a growing problem in this country and often forgotten in the legalization of marijuana debate. Those are the main findings of a new report that addresses the impact of driving under the influence of drugs and medication on traffic safety and what can be done about it.
As a result of more permissive laws and an increase in prescription drug abuse, more drivers are behind the wheel impaired, the group noted.Marijuana is currently legal for medical use in 23 states and D.C., legal for recreational use in four states and D.C. and the amount of prescription painkillers dispensed in the U.S. has quadrupled since the 1990s.
“Every state must take steps to reduce drug-impaired driving, regardless of the legal status of marijuana,” Jonathan Adkins, executive director of GHSA, said in a statement. “This is the first report to provide states and other stakeholders with the information they need,” he added. “ We look to the federal government to take a leadership role in this issue similar to that of drunk driving and seat belt use.”
The most recent national data indicated that drugged driving is increasing while drunk driving is declining. The percentage of fatally-injured drivers testing positive for drugs – 40 percent – is almost the same as those testing positive for any alcohol, according to the group. A recent federal roadside survey, it said, found that 22 percent of drivers tested positive for some drug or medication.
The publication synthesizes available research on how different drugs impair driving abilities, provides results of a new state survey and includes a series of suggestions to develop prevention strategies on the state and national level. Recommendations include: updating laws; implementing education programs and data collection guidelines; improving law enforcement and training; standardizing roadside testing policies and devices; and continuing research.
“While this report summarizes the research and data available, it also highlights how much remains unknown,” Jim Hedlund, previously a senior federal transportation official and author of the new report, said in a statement.. “For example, we still don’t know with certainty how much of a specific drug will cause impairment or if such a relationship can even be defined. Many states do not have the data to measure their drug-impaired driving scope or characteristics. The recommendations in the report will help states refine and augment their efforts to detect and deter drug-impaired drivers.”
The report was released by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), a nonprofit organization representing state highway safety offices, in cooperation with the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility, a not-for-profit funded by distillers.
Click here for the full report.
