Driving while under the influence

The percentage of drivers involved in fatal crashes who had traces of marijuana in their blood has doubled since marijuana was legalized in Washington state, a new study suggests.

The American Automobile Association (AAA) has found that the percentage of drivers who are high on pot during fatal accidents in Washington State more than doubled between 2013 and 2014.

But with marijuana on the ballot to become legal in more states, AAA researchers fear that the numbers will rise more sharply.

While a few states, including our western neighbor Washington, have recently legalized recreational marijuana use, the Gem State hasn’t followed suit just yet. Despite current legalization efforts in other states, marijuana possession and sale, even for medical reasons, remains prohibited.

However, Idaho State Police Sgt. Vance Cox said he’s seen a rise in the number of people he has pulled over who have been under the illegal influence of marijuana,heroin and meth.

He also said he’s noticed more people out on the road driving under the influence of legal prescription medication. However, that can also impair a driver.

“We’re seeing a full gamut of drugs that impair people alcohol obviously is one of the bigger drugs that cause people to be impaired. But also beyond alcohol is medications that are prescribed,” Cox said.

Some prescription drug labels recommend not operating heavy machinery during use of the drug.

“On that bottle, it will say do not operate heavy machinery, do not operate a vehicle while under the influence of this drug. So it’s upon that individual too be responsible not to use to much of that drug to where it impairs their ability to drive,” Cox said.

Cox suggests that people who take legal prescription medication wait to see how the medication affects their body before getting behind the wheel.

“You got to be so careful with prescription medication because legally they’re prescribed to us and we use it for pain. Unless we know how it affects our body and our driving ability, you shouldn’t be driving until you know how it affects you,” Cox said.

Sgt. Cox said the standard field sobriety tests are designed to detect impaired drivers whether they’re impaired on alcohol or medications or illegal drugs.

Idaho State Police can conduct more than just a sobriety test on scene if they suspect someone is driving under the influence. The Drug Recognition Evaluation program is an additional sobriety test to detect what drugs specifically are impairing that individual. and to what level of impairment they’re under.

Cox said blood and urine samples are taken to determine what is in the person’s system. However, even if it does come up positive for marijuana, impairment still has to be proven.

“You could of used marijuana two or three days ago and it will still show up in your system, so we want to do specific tests that say they are either impaired or not impaired at the time of the arrest,” Cox said.

The test includes checking pupils, blood pressure, pulse, and temperature.

“A stimulant drug will raise the heart rate, a narcotic drug will lower the heart rate. So we do a series of tests to find out what drug they’re under the influence of,” Cox said.

Cox also said each person who gets behind of the wheel of a vehicle is not only responsible for themselves.