Police crackdown on drug-drivers in US states

State and local police departments in six US states have announced that they will be stepping up enforcement of drug-driving laws. The campaign is called ‘Drive High, Kiss Your License Goodbye!’ and is being conducted in partnership with the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to enforce zero tolerance for breaking drug-driving laws.

Throughout the US, there has been a steady increase in traffic fatalities involving drug-drivers. Six Midwestern states, including Missouri and Kansas, are making a concerted effort to get drug-drivers off the roads. While laws on the legality of marijuana use vary among the states, it is illegal in all jurisdictions to drive while under the influence of drugs, including marijuana.

Sgt Colin Stosberg, of the Missouri Highway Patrol, said that his state has seen a huge increase in deadly crashes involving drug-drivers. The most recent data showed that 26.4% of drivers in deadly crashes tested positive for THC, cannabinoids, or marijuana, compared with 14.6% in 2006.

Kansas has experienced a decrease in deaths due to drug-driving in the past year, after a dramatic spike in 2014.

When police officers look for drug impairment, they will also look for drivers who are driving under the influence of alcohol, and officers are receiving training to see the difference between the two types of impairment.

Stosberg said that motorists who drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol should be aware of the financial consequences of an impaired driving arrest and conviction, noting that the typical cost to settle an impaired driving incident is about $10,000 (£7,140).