Missouri law enforcement officials have announced they will conduct a Drug Impaired Driving enforcement blitz throughout the state from April 20 – April 22, 2018. “Driving High? Kiss Your License Goodbye!” is an intensified effort to crack down on drug-impaired driving. Similar crackdown efforts are occurring across the region in Kansas, Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. Up and down the highways and roadways of these states in the country’s midsection, officers will be arresting anyone under suspicion of drug-impaired driving.
During the “Driving High? Kiss Your License Goodbye!” blitz in Missouri, officers will intensify enforcement of drug-impaired driving laws in Missouri. Like drunk driving, drugged driving is illegal in all 50 States, Puerto Rico and Washington D.C. They will stop and ticket anyone considered under suspicion of drug-impaired driving.
It is never safe to drive when impaired. This not only means refraining from drunk driving, but also from drug-impaired driving of any kind. Many people erroneously believe that driving while high won’t affect them; they are wrong. It has been proven that THC – the chemical responsible for most of marijuana’s psychological effects – slows reaction times, impairs cognitive performance and makes it more difficult for drivers to keep a steady position in their lane. The bottom line is this: It doesn’t matter what term is used if a person is high, stoned, wasted or drunk, he or she is impaired. Driving while impaired by any substance is illegal and can be deadly to the driver and other road users.
“Drugged driving translates to death on our roadways. Drug-impaired drivers put themselves, their passengers and other drivers at tremendous risk. Something as simple as a cold medication or over the counter sleep aid could impair your driving,” said Missouri State Highway Patrol Colonel, Sandra Karsten. “Just like drunk driving, drug-impaired driving can lead to a DUI.”
Please remember:
- Never drive while impaired by any substance.
- If you are taking a new prescription drug or a higher dose of a current prescription drug, do not drive until you know what effect it has on your judgment, coordination, and reaction time. Any effect could impair your driving ability.
- If your doctor writes you a new prescription or increases a current dosage, be sure to discuss with the doctor whether you should drive while taking the medication, or be sure to ask the pharmacist when you pick up the prescription.
- Always tell your doctor about any drugs you are taking (prescription, over-the-counter, and illegal) so they may accurately counsel you on whether it is safe to drive while taking them.
- Certain medications may not impair you on their own, but if taken with a second medication or with alcohol, they may cause impairment. Any form of impaired driving is illegal.
“Our goal is to save lives and we’re putting all drivers on alert – Drug-impaired driving is against the law. Remember, “Driving High? Kiss Your License Goodbye!”, said Karsten.
