Congressman Troy Balderson (R-OH) and Congresswoman Kathleen Rice (D-NY) introduced the bipartisan Drug-Impaired Driving Education Act, which would establish a $5 million federal grant program for the first two years after the bill is enacted for states to educate the public on the dangers of drug-impaired driving.
Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. and Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America praised the introduction.
In 2016, more than half of fatally injured drug-positive drivers with known drug test results had two or more drugs in their system, and more than 40 percent tested positive for both drugs and alcohol. One study in Washington state showed that 44% of drivers involved in fatal crashes from 2008-2016 tested positive for two or more substances, with alcohol and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) being the most common combination.
Congress has previously funded efforts to train authorities to better detect and deter drug-impaired driving, but there remains a need for public education and awareness of this growing problem. The new federal grant program established by the Drug-Impaired Driving Education Act would specifically provide funding to states to address this critical need.
Responsibility.org Vice President of Traffic Safety and Government Relations Darrin Grondel, Ph.D., commended the legislation’s introduction and commented:
“Drug-impaired and multi-substance impaired driving are an increasing and unacceptable danger on our nation’s roads. The bipartisan Drug Impaired Driving Education Act of 2020 is a huge step forward in increasing awareness of this danger and improving public education and road safety about the dangers of using drugs or combining multiple substances, including alcohol, and driving.”
“Despite common misconceptions, drug-impaired driving is just as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol, and that’s why this bill to expand public education and awareness is so important,” said Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-NY), who cosponsored the bill. “I’ve been working on these issues for my entire career, and I have seen the immense pain and tragedy that they can cause far too many times. I thank Rep. Balderson and the many advocacy groups who are supporting this legislation. We must keep working together until we can end impaired and distracted driving once and for all.”