CHARLESTON — As April 20 approaches, the West Virginia Governor’s Highway Safety Program is reminding drivers that anyone under the influence of marijuana is unfit to get behind the wheel.
A recent National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study found 26% of drivers killed or seriously injured in crashes tested positive for marijuana, the program said.
“It is a common and deadly misconception that people drive ‘better’ while high,” said Jack McNeely, director of the Governor’s Highway Safety Program. “The reality is that marijuana slows your reaction time and impairs your judgment. If you feel different, you drive different.”
The program urges West Virginians to plan ahead by designating a sober driver, booking a rideshare or calling a taxi before using marijuana; to step in and take a friend’s keys if they are about to drive high; and to report suspected impaired drivers to local law enforcement.
“It is important for drivers to understand that driving while under the influence of cannabis is impaired driving, and it can result in a DUI arrest,” said Huntington Police Sgt. Joey Koher, the West Virginia Drug Evaluation Classification Program coordinator. “As we approach this non-traditional holiday, I want to remind our community to make responsible choices when consuming cannabis. Please do not drive impaired and put yourself and others at risk. Law enforcement officers will be proactively patrolling to keep our roadways safe. If you choose not to make the right decision, we will make it for you.”
More information on drug-impaired driving is available at nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drug-impaired-driving. More on the Governor’s Highway Safety Program is at highwaysafety.wv.gov.
