Introduction
US traffic fatalities have been a significant issue for decades, with over 38,000 deaths in 2019 (NHTSA). In 2020, traffic fatalities increased while traffic volume decreased due to the COVID-19 disease (NHTSA). Despite a 13.2% drop in VMT, the NHTSA reported a 7.2% increase in traffic fatalities in 2020 (NHTSA). Drug use causing bad drivers is an overlooked cause of this fatality increase. The white paper examines how drug use affects traffic fatalities and how to address it.
Background
According to the NHTSA, alcohol-impaired driving has been a foremost cause of traffic mortalities for many years. Drug-impaired driving is becoming a significant alarm. Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) study found that drug use among drivers involved in fatal crashes increased from 44% in 2016 to 46.3% in 2017 (NHTSA). The most commonly detected drug was marijuana, followed by opioids and methamphetamine. Legalizing marijuana in several states has increased use, increasing drug-impaired driving. Marijuana use has been shown to impair driving ability, including reaction time, attention, and perception (Kamer et al.). Moreover, combining marijuana use with alcohol can increase impairment even further (NHTSA). Opioids and methamphetamine also have the potential to impair driving ability, and their use is on the rise in many parts of the country.
The significance of drug-impaired driving
Drug-impaired driving is a significant public safety issue and can cause accidents, injuries, and deaths. Drug-impaired driving affects individuals, families, and communities. Drug-impaired driving affects traffic safety, making it essential. According to the NHTSA, drug-impaired driving caused 43% of fatal crashes in 2020. It indicates the need for action to address the issue. Drug-impaired driving is significant since drivers are hard to detect and are more complex to catch and prosecute than alcohol-impaired drivers because there is no standardized test for impairment. Drug-impaired driving is necessary because many drugs impair driving. Alcohol is the most well-known drug that impairs driving, but many other legal and illegal drugs can also do so.
Drug-impaired driving affects everyone. Impaired drivers endanger other drivers and pedestrians. Drug-impaired driving affects communities and increases accident and injury rates. Drug-impaired driving can lead to legal issues, as stated by (Kamer et al.,). Driving impaired can result in fines, license suspension, and even jail time, depending on the jurisdiction and situation. Drug-impaired driving may raise healthcare expenditures due to accidents. Accident injuries may require extensive medical treatment, increasing healthcare expenses for individuals and society. Drug-impaired driving affects victims’ mental and emotional health. Accidents can cause long-term mental health issues. Drug-impaired driving is a significant public safety hazard. Drug-impaired driving affects individuals, families, and communities. More enforcement, public education, and drug testing are needed to solve the problem. Drug-impaired driving endangers road safety. Alcohol-impaired drivers killed 9,500 people in 2020 (NHTSA). Drug-impaired driving fatalities are hard to estimate because drug testing is more complex than alcohol testing. Drugs can stay in a person’s system for days or weeks, making it hard to determine if they caused the crash. Despite these obstacles, drug-impaired driving is a growing problem. The Overview of motor crashes Foundation for Traffic Safety found that 43% of drug-positive drivers drank (Overview of motor crashes). This emphasizes the need to address alcohol- and drug-impaired driving.
Forecasting the significance of drug-impaired driving
Drug-impaired driving is a growing issue. Despite the interest, little is known about the problem, especially its future implications. Drug-impaired driving may increase traffic fatalities. Drug use in society is likely to keep drug-impaired driving meaningful. The opioid pandemic has increased drug use and impaired driving. The legalization of marijuana in several states may also increase drug-impaired driving. Marijuana legalization reduces crime but increases traffic accidents (Muguro et al.). New medications and drug delivery systems may also increase the importance of drug-impaired driving. New medications and delivery techniques may increase driving impairment hazards. Despite these factors, drug-impaired driving has a promising future. Technology may help reduce drug-impaired driving accidents by making them easier to identify. Drug-impaired driving awareness is another positive sign. More people will be careful and avoid driving under the influence as they learn about the risks. Drug-impaired driving can be reduced by other means. They include greater enforcement, public education, and drug testing improvements. Thus, while drug-impaired driving will persist, technological advances, public awareness campaigns, and practical policy interventions may reduce it. Drug-impaired driving may worsen as drug use rises. The opioid epidemic and marijuana legalization have increased opioid and methamphetamine consumption nationwide (Muguro et al.). Stress and anxiety from the COVID-19 pandemic can also lead to drug use. The pandemic has increased drug and alcohol use, particularly among addicts, according to NIDA (NHTSA). Drug-impaired driving will undoubtedly be a bigger issue post-pandemic.
Addressing the problem
Many measures can reduce drug-impaired driving.
- Education Campaigns: Drug-impaired driving awareness campaigns can be created. These campaigns can target young drivers using social media, television, radio, and billboards.
- Increased Enforcement: Police can boost impaired driving enforcement. Sobriety checkpoints, increased patrols, and DREs can help detect drug-impaired drivers.
- Drug-impaired driving can be detected more accurately with improved testing. New drug testing methods and DRE use may be used.
- Drug-impaired driving carries harsher penalties. Repeat offenders face longer license suspensions, higher fines, and jail time.
- Rehabilitation Programs: Addiction recovery programs can aid addicts. Drug therapy and support groups are examples.
- Safe Rides Programs: These initiatives provide alternate transportation for intoxicated people. Ride-sharing and designated driver programs are examples.
- Better Road Design: Road design helps reduce traffic deaths. Speed bumps, roundabouts, and safer pedestrian and bicycle paths are examples.
- Traffic fatalities can be reduced by law enforcement, public health, and community collaboration. Task forces and working groups can create and implement road fatality reduction measures.
Conclusion
US traffic fatalities remain a significant issue. Despite Vision Zero and greater traffic law enforcement, fatalities have been rising. Distracted, speeding, and drugged driving contribute to this trend. Enforcement, public education, and infrastructure improvements are needed to solve this problem. Law enforcement, municipal and state governments, and community organizations must cooperate. While there is no single solution to traffic fatalities, we must continue to reduce road deaths and injuries. We can help everyone travel safely on America’s highways and byways by continuing to make our roadways safer.
Work Cited
Kamer, Russell S., Stephen Warshafsky, and Gordon C. Kamer. “Change in traffic fatality rates in the first 4 states to legalize recreational marijuana.” JAMA internal medicine 180.8 (2020): 1119-1120. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/2767643
Muguro, Joseph Kamau, et al. “Trend analysis and fatality causes in Kenyan roads: A review of road traffic accident data between 2015 and 2020.” Cogent Engineering 7.1 (2020): 1797981. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/23311916.2020.1797981
NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis “Early estimate of motor vehicle traffic fatalities for the first half (January- June) 2020.”
NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis “Early estimate of motor vehicle traffic fatalities and fatality rate by sub categories in 2021.” Overview of motor crashes in 2020
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