New Safety Campaign Targets Drug-Impaired Driving

 Posted on December 19, 2018 in Uncategorized

With more states legalizing marijuana and a rising number of drug DUIs, federal safety officials have added a focus on driving high to their 2018 ad campaigns. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s ongoing “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign has been supplemented with two new slogans: “Drive High, Get a DUI” and “If You Feel Different, You Drive Different.”

Driving Under the Influence of Drugs Can Prove Fatal

An examination of data from the NHTSA’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System found that the number of drug-impaired drivers killed in car crashes has risen substantially over the past ten years, while the number of alcohol-impaired drivers killed has declined in the U.S. In 2006, 41% of drivers killed in crashes tested positive for alcohol while just 28% tested positive for drugs. Ten years later, in 2016, 38% percent of drivers killed in crashes tested positive for alcohol (a decline of 4 percentage points) while 44% tested positive for drugs (an increase of 16 percentage points).

Of the drivers who had consumed drugs, 38% tested positive for THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis. About 16% tested positive for opioids, including illegal drugs like heroin as well as prescription drugs such as OxyContin or Vicodin.

Illinois Law is Tough on Drugged Drivers

The per se definition of drunk driving in Illinois is a blood-alcohol concentration at or above .08 percent. For an average person, you can have about one drink per hour, and remain under the legal limit. Even if you drink yourself to over twice the legal limit (BAC of .18), your body will metabolize alcohol at a rate of about .015 per hour and you will be completely sober within about 12 hours from the time you stop drinking.

The Illinois legal limit for drugs is much tougher. You can be convicted of drugged driving in Illinois with “any trace of a drug (other than marijuana), illegal substance or intoxicating compound.” And for marijuana, if you are over the legal limit for THC (marijuana) at five nanograms or more per milliliter of whole blood or 10 nanograms or more of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol per milliliter of other bodily substance. In addition, many drugs will remain detectable in body fluids long after the high has worn off.

Pick an Aggressive Will County Drug DUI Defense Attorney

If you have been arrested for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, do not delay in contacting an experienced Joliet DUI defense attorney. At the Law Offices of Jack L. Zaremba, P.C., we are experienced in defending drug DUI and drug possession cases as well as alcohol DUI. We will fully investigate every aspect of your case to build a strong defense for you. Contact us at 815-740-4025 for a free and confidential consultation.