NHTSA recently released two new studies that show that while the nation’s decades-long campaign to combat drunk driving continues to make roads safer, the use of marijuana and prescription drugs is increasingly prominent on, creating new safety questions for the nation’s highway system.
The latest version of NHTSA’s Roadside Survey of Alcohol and Drug Use by Drivers found that the number of drivers with alcohol in their system has declined by nearly one-third since 2007, and by more than three-quarters since the first Roadside Survey in 1973.
But that same survey found a large increase in the number of drivers using marijuana or illegal drugs. In the 2014 survey, nearly one in four drivers tested positive for at least one drug that could affect safety.
“America made drunk driving a national issue, and while there is no victory as long as a single American dies in an alcohol-related crash, a one-third reduction in alcohol use over just seven years shows how a focused effort and cooperation among the federal government, states and communities, law enforcement, safety advocates and industry can make an enormous difference,” said NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind.
“At the same time, the latest Roadside Survey raises significant questions about drug use and highway safety. The rising prevalence of marijuana and other drugs is a challenge to everyone who is dedicated to saving lives and reducing crashes.”
The National Roadside Survey, conducted five times over the last 40 years, is a voluntary, anonymous survey that gathers data in dozens of locations across the country from drivers who agree to participate.
The latest edition of the survey shows that the prevalence of alcohol use by drivers continues to drop. About 8% of drivers during weekend nighttime hours were found to have alcohol in their system, and just over 1% were found with 0.08% or higher blood alcohol content – the legal limit in every state. This is down by about 30% from the previous survey in 2007 and down 80% from the first survey in 1973.
But even as drinking and driving continues to fall, use of illegal drugs or prescription drugs that can affect road safety is climbing. The number of weekend nighttime drivers with evidence of drugs in their system climbed from 16.3% in 2007 to 20% in 2014. The number of drivers with marijuana in their system grew by nearly 50%.
A second survey, the largest of its kind ever conducted, assessed whether marijuana use by drivers is associated with greater risk of crashes. The survey found that marijuana users are more likely to be involved in accidents, but that the increased risk may be due in part because marijuana users are more likely to be in groups at higher risk of crashes. In particular, marijuana users are more likely to be young men – a group already at high risk.
NHTSA states that this was the most precisely controlled study of its kind yet conducted, but it measured the risk associated with marijuana at the levels found among drivers in a large community. Other studies using driving simulators and test tracks have found that marijuana at sufficient dosage levels will affect driver risk.
“Drivers should never get behind the wheel impaired, and we know that marijuana impairs judgment, reaction times and awareness,” said Jeff Michael, NHTSA’s associate administrator for research and program development. “These findings highlight the importance of research to better understand how marijuana use affects drivers so states and communities can craft the best safety policies.”
The study, conducted in Virginia Beach, Va., gathered data over a 20-month period from more than 3,000 drivers who were involved in crashes, as well as a comparison group of 6,000 drivers who did not crash. The study found that drivers who had been drinking above the 0.08% legal limit had about four times the risk of crashing as sober drivers, and those with blood alcohol levels at 0.15% or higher had 12 times the risk.
NHTSA plans a series of additional studies to further understand the risk of drugged driving, including the Washington State Roadside Survey, which will assess risk in a state where marijuana has recently been legalized, and a simulator study with the National Institute on Drug Abuse to assess how drivers under the influence of drugs behave behind the wheel.