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One for the Road

Michael Loguercio

So often we hear about “Driving While Impaired” (DWI), referring to how prevalent it has become, the injuries and deaths that are attributed to those who commit this act and the impact that it has on the offender’s life, the third party who may be involved, their families, and of course insurance.

Although DWI (by alcohol) is the most commonly referred-to term, there is another offense that is equally as disturbing, but not as well understood: “Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs” (DUID). In actuality, a study by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility has found that drugged driving is increasing while drunk driving is declining.

Now this is where these statistics become real interesting: according to Property Casualty 360, 40% of drivers involved in a fatal motor vehicle accident have tested positive for drugs, which is just about the same percentage as those drivers who tested positive for alcohol. In addition, a very recent roadside survey by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has determined that 22% of drivers tested positive for some form of drug or medication.

As a result of these and other studies being conducted around the country, federal and state legislators are becoming ever so pressured into addressing the issue of DUID. Furthermore, with the advent of legal marijuana usage in twenty-three states and Washington DC, along with legal recreational usage in four more states (plus Washington DC), we can expect these numbers of DUID to continue to increase. Organizations such as the GHSA are publically asking the federal government to take the same steps in combating this growing issue as it did and continues to do with seat belt laws that it enacted years ago.

What also adds to the complications of drug impaired versus alcohol impaired driving, is that there are literally hundreds of drugs available that may be classified as legal prescription obtained, illegally obtained, or over-the-counter, that can and will impair a subject’s ability to operate any motor vehicle…not just a car. In addition, the study conducted by the GHSA also discovered that:

  • Marijuana is by far the most common drug that is used, found in roadside surveys, and found in fatally-injured drivers. Marijuana use by drivers likely increases after a state permits recreational marijuana use.

  • About 20% of young adults aged 18-25 and about 6% of adults aged 26 and above use illegal drugs or marijuana at least monthly. In comparison, over 50% of each age group drink alcohol at least monthly.

  • About 12-15% of drivers in NHTSA’s 2013-14 roadside survey tested positive for some illegal drug or marijuana, substantially more than tested positive for alcohol.

Detection of illegal drug use is also much more difficult by law enforcement personnel, and to further complicate police departments, laws that apply to those who are suspected of DUID vary across the country.

Other noteworthy points regarding DUID is that any drug may increase the risk of a driver being involved in a motor vehicle accident, as it decreases the concentration level of the driver. Also of note is that the effect of a specific drug may be different on each person, and most drug use may double the risk of being in an accident. Combine drugs with alcohol, and you have a cocktail with a potentially disastrous result.

If you would like to view the entire report and study regarding the above, please visit www.ghsa.org

In this writer’s opinion, it is a shame that we as a government have to protect people against themselves; and punish those who do not conform, as they will not do it on their own. If we do not take immediate and swift action, we are all at risk by these activities, and stand to lose our lives, freedoms, and even our money in the form of increased insurance premiums.

So until next time when we will be talking about the spring conventions and activities, “Ciao for now!”