Survey Finds Decrease in Drinking, but Rise in Drug Use on the Road | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

Thanks to tougher laws and enforcement, the amount of drunk driving has significantly decreased in the past three years. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released a road side survey finding that 2.2 percent of drivers had blood alcohol levels of 0.08 or higher in 2007.

Conversely, a recent government survey states that 16.3 percent of night weekend drivers, when tested, were positive for drugs in their system. This is a precipitous increase compared to 1996 when only 4.3 percent of drivers were found legally intoxicated due to drugs. Though, it is difficult to tell if a driver is impaired due to the fact that drugs can remain in the system for weeks as founded by researchers.  

Driving while intoxicated, by either alcohol or drugs, is very serious and dangerous. As an injury lawyer who’s represented clients seriously hurt in car accidents, I am extremely concerned with the increased percentage of intoxicated drivers due to drug use.

The consequences of driving while intoxicated can lead to major injuries or, worse case scenario, your death or an innocent person’s death.

About the Editors: Shapiro & Appleton& Duffan personal injury law firm is based in Virginia (VA), near the NE North Carolina (NC) border and handles car,truck,railroad, and medical negligence cases and more. Our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard as a pro bono public information service. Lawyers licensed in: VA, NC, SC, WV, DC, KY.