5 key takeaways from GHSA's report on drug-impaired driving

The attitude in the U.S. towards drugs has shifted since former President Ronald Reagan first announced a "war on drugs." Marijuana has now become widely accepted, but there is currently an opioids crisis raging throughout the country. Curtailing the issue of drug use and abuse on the streets has dogged law enforcement for years, but U.S. roadways are just as problematic. As marijuana use expands throughout the country and opioids continue to circulate, state highway safety officers are concerned. A new report from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) found that in 2016, 44% of fatally-injured drivers with known results tested positive for drugs, up from 28% just 10 years prior. More than half of these drivers had marijuana, opioids or a combination of the two in their system. Curtailing drug-impaired drivers will not be easy. The federal government and individual states will need to find a way to detect such drivers, but to do so will require understanding the drugs in question and how usage varies across the country. The report breaks down the numbers and recommends a number of practices to reduce drug-impaired driving. With this in mind, check out these key takeaways from GHSA on drug-impaired driving and recommendations for tackling this pervasive issue. Related: Wide support for driving impairment standards for marijuana