Actions from federal and state agencies are needed to address the continuing problem of impaired driving, the National Transportation Safety Board has said in a new report.
In the study, the agency examined the crash risk associated with different drugs — including alcohol, cannabis, prescription, over-the-counter and other drugs — and the prevalence of their use among drivers. The report also makes recommendations aimed at preventing crashes caused by impaired drivers.
“Impaired driving leads to tragedy every day on our nation’s roads, but it doesn’t have to,” said NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy.
“To create a truly safe system — one where impaired driving is a relic of the past — states and federal agencies must implement our recommendations, and fast. Further complacency is inexcusable.”
Researchers found alcohol remains the most often detected drug in impaired driving incidents and cannabis is the second most common. They also found that while alcohol is most often detected alone, cannabis was most often detected in combination with alcohol or other drugs.
Recommendations in the report include:
- A requirement that cannabis products have a warning label about driving impairment
- Enhancements to state drug-impaired driving laws
- Standardization of toxicology testing for the detection of drug use
- Research on how to improve compliance with driving-related warnings on potentially impairing prescription and over-the-counter drugs
The full report is available on the NTSB’s website.
