DRUGGED DRIVING
In 2006 there were 10.2 million persons, or 4.2% of the population aged 12 or older, who
reported driving “under the influence” of illicit drugs during the past year (SAMHSA 2007).
The rate was highest among young adults aged 18 to 25 (13.0%). Interest in the potential
effect of drug use on vehicle crashes has been growing in the U.S. and globally (Voas 2008).
The International Council on Alcohol, Drugs, and Traffic Safety Working Group on Drugs and
Driving has recently published Guidelines for Research on Drugged Driving (Walsh et al. 2008).
The guidelines cover three topics: behavior, epidemiology, and toxicology, but they do not include
policy research. Voas (2008) suggests the importance of a fourth component covering
the evaluation of laws and policies that emanate from basic research on drugs and driving.
Currently 14 U.S. states have zero-tolerance laws that make any detectible amount of a drug
in the blood an offense. These laws are based on an extension of federal drug enforcement to automobile drivers. Only one state has a law which specifies a drug level higher than zero, which
is believed to be the level at which drugs cause impairment. Laws that specify a concentration
level that impairs driving must be based on research demonstrating that the concentration
specified is related to crash involvement. Such “anti-crash laws” are aimed at harm reduction
and will require considerable additional research to identify the level associated with crash
involvement (Voas 2008). The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), with
support from NIDA, has funded a study to determine the relative risk of crash involvement
associated with the substances most frequently used by drivers.
Every state has driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) legislation on the books (NORML
accessed August 2008). Most state DUID laws are “effects-based” laws that require the officer
to detect and record impairment as the basis for requiring a drug test. This legislation forbids
drivers to operate a motor vehicle if they are either “under the influence” of a controlled substance
or if they have been rendered “incapable of driving safely” because of their use of an illicit drug.
In 2005, Congress for the first time enacted federal legislation pertaining to the issue of DUID.
The provision instructs the Secretary of Transportation to advise and coordinate with other
federal agencies on methods for addressing the problem of driving under the influence
of an illegal drug; and conduct research on the prevention, detection, and prosecution of driving
under the influence of an illegal drug.
Found at http://www.saprp.org/pdf/research_agendas/Policies_to_Prevent_Drug_Problems.pdf?utm_source=Website&utm_medium=RA_Page&utm_campaign=ResearchAgenda
reported driving “under the influence” of illicit drugs during the past year (SAMHSA 2007).
The rate was highest among young adults aged 18 to 25 (13.0%). Interest in the potential
effect of drug use on vehicle crashes has been growing in the U.S. and globally (Voas 2008).
The International Council on Alcohol, Drugs, and Traffic Safety Working Group on Drugs and
Driving has recently published Guidelines for Research on Drugged Driving (Walsh et al. 2008).
The guidelines cover three topics: behavior, epidemiology, and toxicology, but they do not include
policy research. Voas (2008) suggests the importance of a fourth component covering
the evaluation of laws and policies that emanate from basic research on drugs and driving.
Currently 14 U.S. states have zero-tolerance laws that make any detectible amount of a drug
in the blood an offense. These laws are based on an extension of federal drug enforcement to automobile drivers. Only one state has a law which specifies a drug level higher than zero, which
is believed to be the level at which drugs cause impairment. Laws that specify a concentration
level that impairs driving must be based on research demonstrating that the concentration
specified is related to crash involvement. Such “anti-crash laws” are aimed at harm reduction
and will require considerable additional research to identify the level associated with crash
involvement (Voas 2008). The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), with
support from NIDA, has funded a study to determine the relative risk of crash involvement
associated with the substances most frequently used by drivers.
Every state has driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) legislation on the books (NORML
accessed August 2008). Most state DUID laws are “effects-based” laws that require the officer
to detect and record impairment as the basis for requiring a drug test. This legislation forbids
drivers to operate a motor vehicle if they are either “under the influence” of a controlled substance
or if they have been rendered “incapable of driving safely” because of their use of an illicit drug.
In 2005, Congress for the first time enacted federal legislation pertaining to the issue of DUID.
The provision instructs the Secretary of Transportation to advise and coordinate with other
federal agencies on methods for addressing the problem of driving under the influence
of an illegal drug; and conduct research on the prevention, detection, and prosecution of driving
under the influence of an illegal drug.
Found at http://www.saprp.org/pdf/research_agendas/Policies_to_Prevent_Drug_Problems.pdf?utm_source=Website&utm_medium=RA_Page&utm_campaign=ResearchAgenda