Driver survey finds less drinking, more drugs

According to an article from the New York Times, drivers are more likely to be under the influence of drugs than alcohol. This finding comes after the release of the most recent roadside survey from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  The survey is based on saliva, blood samples and questionnaires from 300 locations across the United States.

In 1973, 7.5 percent of drivers had a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher, which is above the legal limit in all fifty states.  The new survey found that this has significantly reduced to 2.2 percent.  More drivers are now under the influence of drugs.

The article states:

“For the first time, the roadside survey also used screening methods to detect marijuana, cocaine and prescription drugs. The survey found that 16.3 percent of nighttime weekend drivers tested positive for drugs. Nearly 9 percent had used marijuana, whereas nearly 4 percent tested positive for cocaine and a similar number had used prescription drugs. The drug tests only indicate the presence of the drug in the body and don’t indicate when the drugs were used or whether the driver was impaired.”

This survey was conducted in 2007 on a voluntary and anonymous basis.  If the people in the survey were impaired, they were not taken into custody, rather they were allowed to call for a ride, but they were not allowed back on the road. People in the survey were also offered extra incentives to participate. Monetary compensation was offered for blood and saliva samples, as much as 100 dollars was offered.

The study also found that men are more likely to be under the influence of alcohol than women. And those drunk drivers were more likely to be operating motorcycles or pick-up trucks.

So, what does this information make you think about? Do you really think there are more people under the influence of drugs than alcohol while behind the wheel? Or is this just the first time it’s been tested.