Page 36 - AAA Magazine – AAA Ohio Auto Club – September 2019

Americans Don’t Think They’ll Get Arrested for Driving High
By Tamra Johnson
New AAA Foundation research shows an estimated 14.8 million Americans report driving within one hour after using marijuana in the past 30 days.
Nearly 70 percent of Americans think it’s unlikely a driver will get caught by police for driving while high
on marijuana, according to a new AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety survey. An alarming finding shows that an estimated 14.8 million drivers report getting behind the wheel within one hour after using marijuana in the past 30 days. The impairing effects of marijuana are usually experienced within the first one to four hours after using the drug. And marijuana users who drive high are up to twice as likely to be involved in a crash.
“Marijuana can significantly alter reaction times and impair a driver’s judgment. Yet, many drivers don’t consider marijuana-impaired driving as risky as other behaviors like driving drunk or talking on the phone while driving,” said Dr. David Yang, executive director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “It is important for everyone to understand that driving after recently using marijuana can put themselves and others at risk.”
In the AAA Foundation survey, 7 percent of Americans reported they approved of driving after recently using marijuana – more than other dangerous behaviors like alcohol-impaired driving (1.6 percent), drowsy driving (1.7 percent) and prescription drug-impaired driving (3 percent).
“It’s time to face the facts,” said Jake Nelson, AAA director of Traffic Safety and Advocacy. “Any driver who gets behind the wheel high can be arrested and prosecuted.
“Law enforcement officials are getting more sophisticated in their methods for identifying marijuana-impaired drivers and the consequences are not worth the risk.”
“It is important for everyone to understand that driving after recently using marijuana can put themselves and others at risk.”
Programs like Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement and the 50-State Drug Evaluation and Classification Program were developed to train law enforcement officers around the country to more effectively recognize drug-impaired driving. There are currently more than 87,000 ARIDE and 8,300 DECP trained officers patrolling U.S. roads. Since 2010, the
state of Ohio has trained more than 8,000 law enforcement officers in ARIDE, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Additionally, the number of trained Drug Recognition Experts has increased by 30 percent since 2013. During that time, Ohio saw a 65 percent increase in the number of trained DREs and now has 220 DRE-trained officers. These officers report that marijuana is the most frequently identified drug category nationwide and in Ohio. Since 2015, the number of drivers arrested by DREs for using marijuana increased 20 percent.
AAA recommends all motorists avoid driving while impaired by marijuana or any other drug (including alcohol) to avoid arrest and keep the roads safe. Just because a drug is legal does not mean it is safe to use while operating a motor vehicle. Drivers who get behind the wheel while impaired put themselves and others at risk.
Tamra Johnson is AAA Public Relations manager.
34 | AAA MAGAZINE
TO VIEW AAA MAGAZINE ONLINE, VISIT AAAMAGAZINEONLINE.COM
Photo: iStock/ LukaTDB