Extra law enforcement will be out starting today for the statewide Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, running Aug. 19 to Sept. 5
This year, officers want drivers to be as aware of the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs as they are of alcohol. According to a new study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), approximately one-third of drivers in Washington were drug-positive.
The Algona, Auburn, Bellevue, Black Diamond, Covington, Des Moines, Enumclaw, Federal Way, Issaquah, Kent, Kirkland, Lake Forest Park, Maple Valley, Mercer Island, Newcastle, Normandy Park, Pacific, Redmond, Renton, Sammamish, SeaTac, Seattle, Shoreline, Snoqualmie, and Tukwila Police Departments, and the Washington State Patrol will be participating in the campaign through the coordination of the King County Target Zero Task Force.
The same study showed that 5 percent of Washington drivers were alcohol-positive with 1 percent exceeding the per se limit of .08 BAC. “This shines the light on some good news,” said Grondel, “It is the norm in Washington to drive sober.”
The NHTSA study mirrors the state’s deadly crash data. In 2015, there were 251 impaired drivers involved in deadly crashes. Of these drivers, 20 percent tested positive for alcohol greater than .08 only and another 20 percent tested positive for a single drug. However, nearly 60 percent of these drivers tested positive for multiple drugs, or drugs mixed with alcohol.
“When someone combines impairing substances, such as consuming marijuana and drinking alcohol, they may experience a greater level of impairment than they expected,” said Grondel. “This data shows that combining alcohol and drugs, or one drug with another drug can be a very deadly mix for drivers.
These extra patrols are part of Target Zero—striving to end traffic deaths and serious injuries in Washington by 2030. For more information, visit www.targetzero.com.
The NHTSA study represents the first time Washington drivers have participated in a roadside survey. Nationally, the survey has been conducted since 1973; national results are available at http://www.nhtsa.gov/Driving+Safety/Research+&+Evaluation/Alcohol+and+Drug+Use+By+Drivers.
