NCJ Number
220950
Date Published
December 2010
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This paper presents a brief overview of drugged driving; its meaning, national statistical information, and the dangers.
Abstract
Some State laws define “drugged driving” as driving when a drug renders the driver incapable of driving safely, or causes the driver to be impaired. The principal concern is that driving under the influence of any drug that acts on the brain could impair one’s motor skills, reaction time, and judgment. Drugged driving puts not only the driver at risk, but passengers and others who share the road. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that 16,000 people are killed annually due to drunk and drugged driving with estimates that drugs are used by approximately 10 to 22 percent of drivers involved in crashes, often in combination with alcohol. According to NHTSA, vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death among those aged 15 to 20. Drugs act on the brain and can alter perception, cognition, attention, balance, coordination, and other faculties required for safe driving. 14 references