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State Police to Crack Down on Drug-Impaired Driving
During 4/20 Enforcement Campaign
Published: April 20, 2023 at
11:45 a.m.
By: Press Release from New York State Police
New York State Police to Crack Down on Drug-Impaired
Driving During 4/20 Enforcement Campaign
20 April 2023
NEW YORK STATE
POLICE
Major Ruben A.
Oliver
Troop B Commander
PRESS RELEASE
New York State
police today announced that they will be stepping up patrols and targeting
drug-impaired driving during an enforcement and prevention campaign on
April 20.
The State Police
reminds motorists that driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol,
including cannabis, is not only dangerous, it is
illegal in New York State.
The Governor’s
Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) administers the Drug Recognition Experts (DRE)
training program, which trains officers to recognize impairment and drivers
under the influence of drugs. The GTSC held six DRE trainings
in 2022, adding 99 additional DRE officers, bringing the total to 432
statewide, including 134 State Troopers. GTSC’s goal is to raise the total
number of trained officers statewide to 550 by the end of 2023.
Additionally,
every State Trooper is required to attend Advanced Roadside Impaired
Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) training, which is not as extensive as DRE
training, but provides members of law enforcement with additional skills to
observe, identify and articulate the signs of impairment related to drugs
and alcohol. Statewide, 749 police officers have completed the ARIDE
training. Both advanced training courses are offered by the GTSC.
The U.S.
Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) offers these safety tips and reminds drivers of the
dangers of driving impaired from alcohol or cannabis use:
- If you’re planning to consume cannabis, do
not drive. Designate a sober driver who won’t be consuming or use public transportation or a ride-sharing
service. Someone who’s high shouldn’t be making decisions about
driving; that’s why planning is key.
- According to NHTSA, between 2009 and 2018, of
those drivers killed in crashes and tested, the presence of cannabis
had nearly doubled.
- In 2018, 46 percent of drivers who were
killed in crashes and were tested for drugs, tested positive.
- It doesn’t matter what term you use: If a
person is feeling a little high, buzzed, stoned, wasted, or drunk, he
or she is impaired and should never get behind the wheel.
- In every U.S. state and territory, it is
illegal to drive under the influence of drugs — no exceptions.
- Whether the drug is legal or not, drug-impaired
driving poses a threat to the driver, passengers, and other road
users.
- If you think driving high won’t affect you,
you are wrong: It has been shown that cannabis can slow reaction
times, impair cognitive performance, and make it more difficult for
drivers to keep a steady position in their lane.
- Your best defense against impaired drivers on
the road is your seat belt. Wear it on every trip, and make sure your
passengers do, too.
The Cost of
Impaired Driving
- An impaired driving charge could set you back
$10,000 in attorney’s fees, fines, court costs, lost time at work,
higher insurance rates, towing fees, and more.
- If you’re caught driving under the influence
of any impairing substance, you can face jail time.
- Drug-impaired driving could cause you to lose
your driver’s license and your vehicle. This could stop you from
getting to work, resulting in lost wages and, potentially, job loss.
Have a Safe
Travel Plan
- If you have ingested an impairing substance
such as cannabis, do not drive. Passengers should never ride with an
impaired driver. If you think a driver may be impaired, do not get in
the car.
- If you are drug-impaired, pass the keys to a
sober driver who can safely drive you to your destination. Like drunk
driving, it is essential that drug-impaired drivers refrain from
driving a vehicle. It is never okay to drive while impaired by any
substance.
- Do you have a friend who is about to drive
while impaired by drugs? Take the keys away and arrange to get them
home safely. Don’t worry about offending someone — they’ll thank you
later.
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