Five States Recipients Of Grants From GHSA To Combat Drugged Driving

by Jake Tully - Published: 6/12/2018

The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) reports that Minnesota, New York, Idaho, Rhode Island and Vermont will receive $10,000 in order to provide advance training and information to detect drivers under the influence of drugs.

The GHSA reports that a new report generated by the association and Responsibility.org finds that 44% of drivers fatally injured tested positive for drugs, a figure that is a 28% increase from the previous decade.

“The lack of a universally-accepted testing method for drug impairment makes it difficult to understand the full scale of the drugged driving problem,” noted Jonathan Adkins, GHSA Executive Director. “Integrating oral fluid testing has tremendous potential to improve detection, and we hope New York’s training will serve as a model for other states to take this step.”

According to the GHSA, New York state will begin a new type of oral fluid testing in the event of drug-impaired driving cases, alongside training aimed towards toxicologists and law enforcement officers scheduled to occur this week.

“Law enforcement officers are our boots on the ground when it comes to ending impaired driving,” said President and CEO of Responsibility.org, Ralph Blackman. “More frequently we’re seeing drivers not only impaired by one drug but by multiple drugs or both drugs and alcohol. We need to make sure officers are able to detect and evaluate these drivers, which is why Responsibility.org is proud to continue supporting state efforts to expand and enhance training.”

The GHSA reports that 12 states and territories applied for grants provided by the GHSA, with five states standing as recipients of this year’s grants.

For more information on the GHSA, interested parties may visit the association’s site.