NHTSA: Drunk driving is down, but 16.3% of nighttime drivers are on drugs
 

<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/government-legal/" rel="tag">Government/Legal</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/safety/" rel="tag">Safety</a></p><a href="http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/portal/site/nhtsa/template.MAXIMIZE/menuitem.f2217bee37fb302f 6d7c121046108a0c/?javax.portlet.tpst=1e515 31b2220b0f8ea14201046108a 0c_ws_MX&javax.portlet.pr p_1e51531b2220b0f8ea14201 046108a0c_viewID=detail_v iew&itemID=e1b9461adc1722 10VgnVCM1000002fd17898RCR D&pressReleaseYearSelect= 2009"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/07/drugs_n_driving.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Recently, the U.K. began to consider a law that would address <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/11/uk-looks-to-implement-roadside-drug-testing/">drivers under the influence of drugs</a>, and was looking at using a device that would act like a breathalyzer for narcotics instead of alcohol. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration might want to make the same recommendation after finding that while just 2.2% of drivers have a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher, a startling 16.3% of drivers were on some sort of narcotic.<br /><br />Marijuana came in first among drug positives at 8.6%, with cocaine and over-the-counter meds following at 3.9% each. NHTSA plans further studies to find out how drugs affect driving impairment, since some narcotics aren't flushed from the body for weeks. If the research shows the effects are as bad as drunk driving, we can probably expect 'drugalyzers' to make an appearance at checkpoints soon.<br /><br />You can read the full results of the study in the press release after the jump.<br /><br />[Source: <a href="http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/portal/site/nhtsa/template.MAXIMIZE/menuitem.f2217bee37fb302f 6d7c121046108a0c/?javax.portlet.tpst=1e515 31b2220b0f8ea14201046108a 0c_ws_MX&javax.portlet.pr p_1e51531b2220b0f8ea14201 046108a0c_viewID=detail_v iew&itemID=e1b9461adc1722 10VgnVCM1000002fd17898RCR D&pressReleaseYearSelect= 2009">NHTSA</a> | Photo credit: <a href="http://web420.com/blog/blog5.php/art/trippy-vw-van">Web420.com</a>]<p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/16/nhtsa-drunk-driving-is-down-but-16-3-of-nighttime-drivers-are/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>NHTSA: Drunk driving is down, but 16.3% of nighttime drivers are on drugs</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;backgr ound:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/16/nhtsa-drunk-driving-is-down-but-16-3-of-nighttime-drivers-are/">NHTSA: Drunk driving is down, but 16.3% of nighttime drivers are on drugs</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblo g</a> on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:55:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/portal/site/nhtsa/template.MAXIMIZE/menuitem.f2217bee37fb302f 6d7c121046108a0c/?javax.portlet.tpst=1e515 31b2220b0f8ea14201046108a 0c_ws_MX&javax.portlet.pr p_1e51531b2220b0f8ea14201 046108a0c_viewID=detail_v iew&itemID=e1b9461adc1722 10>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/16/nhtsa-drunk-driving-is-down-but-16-3-of-nighttime-drivers-are/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19099761/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/16/nhtsa-drunk-driving-is-down-but-16-3-of-nighttime-drivers-are/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>

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