KANSAS CITY, MO — Although its origins are uncertain, April 20 (more commonly known as 4/20) has become synonymous with marijuana use and, in some circles, the date is a marijuana “holiday.” On Wednesday, April 20, 2022, there will likely be an increase in marijuana use.
To help keep drug-impaired drivers off the roads, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Region 7, consisting of Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska, is spreading the message that drug-impaired driving of any kind is dangerous and illegal. NHTSA wants to remind all drivers: If You Feel Different, You Drive Different. Drive High, Get a DUI.
Just like drunk driving, drug-impaired driving is illegal nationally, and yet 24 percent of crashes – 28 percent in our region – where results are known across the country involve a driver who tested positive for drugs in 2020.
Over the past 25 years, the number of automobile crashes with fatalities where at least one driver involved tested positive for drugs has surged across all Region 7 states as well. In 2020, the percent of crashes with fatalities where at least one driver tested positive for drugs: Arkansas 45 percent, Iowa 24 percent, Kansas 11 percent, Missouri 33 percent, and Nebraska 15 percent.
This is why it’s so important we spread this life-saving message: If You Feel Different, You Drive Different. Drive High, Get a DUI. If you think driving while high won’t affect you, you are wrong. Regardless of the term used, if a person is high, stoned, wasted, or drunk, they are impaired. Driving while impaired by any substance is illegal and can be deadly to the driver and other road users. It’s that simple.
“Drug-impaired driving is on the rise in our region and across the country. It is a safety issue for everyone on the road,” said NHTSA Region 7 Administrator, Susan DeCourcy. “We hope that people will think twice before driving while impaired by drugs. It is deadly for the driver, passengers, and for other people on roadways. Every day, we share the road with our friends, families, and neighbors so if you are taking any type of drug, prescription, over-the-counter or illegal, pass your keys to a sober driver. Remember: A DUI is for more than just alcohol.”
There are many resources available to get home safely. Plan ahead and designate a sober driver. Use public transportation or rideshare service. Law enforcement partners will make zero exceptions. By working together, we can save lives and help keep America’s roadways safe.