Drugged Drivers are Running Rampant

Ed Normand — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:59:00 GMT

The good news is: the percentage of drunk drivers on the road is decreasing. The bad news is that drivers under the influence of drugs are more prevalent than ever. Many times drugs may impair the ability to drive safely more than alcohol use but drug impairment can be harder to detect. Now it is the return trip from the pharmacy, not happy hour, which increasingly results in a danger to motorists.

A recent governmental survey conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealed that there has been a steady decline in the last 30 years of the percentage of drunk drivers. The study compared the presence of drugs and alcohol in drivers since 1973 against the same data in 2007. It concluded that 2.2% of drivers in 2007 were legally intoxicated. This is a decrease from the percentage in 1973 when 7.5% of drivers were found to be legally intoxicated.

That same study revealed a growing problem with drugged driving. According to the survey “16.3 percent of nighttime weekend drivers were drug positive. The survey focused on weekend nighttime drivers and found that the drugs used most commonly by drivers were: marijuana (8.6 percent); cocaine (3.9 percent); and over-the-counter and prescription drugs (3.9 percent).” The study relied on newer drug screening techniques to detect drug use by examining the presence of drugs in a drivers system. Because drugs can be detected in the system for days or even weeks after they are used the difficulty lies in determining if the drug use resulted in impairment while driving or was merely a positive finding related to earlier drug use. Nevertheless, the surveyors concluded that drugged driving like drunk driving threatens our public health and safety.

The reduction in drunk drivers is attributed to stricter laws and penalties against drunk driving as well as greater enforcement by police and the efforts of anti drunken driving advocates such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving or MADD. Apparently these same efforts may be necessary to control the growing problem of legal and illegal drug use among drivers.

Perhaps MADD needs to add a "D” and become Mothers Against Drugged and Drunk Driving or “MADDD”.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Ed Normand

Orlando's Signature Lake Becomes a Parking Spot

Sandy Grinnell — Mon, 11 May 2009 11:39:32 GMT

Police responded to an auto accident with a car in Lake Eola in downtown Orlando around 2 a.m. Saturday morning. The young woman driver said she was trying to avoid a pedestrian who crossed in front of her and hit the gas instead of the brake. Consequently, she left the street and drove into the lake.

Personally I've been to Lake Eola park many times, and there is no place where the water is really close to the street. She must have hit the gas pretty hard to jump the curb and drive that distance to the water.

Luckily, a man riding in a taxi cab saw the woman's car drive into the lake. According to witnesses he stripped down to his undershorts and dove into the lake to rescue the driver.

After seeing her bloodshot eyes and smelling alcohol on her breath, Orlando PD didn't quite buy the "pedestrian" story and arrested the woman for driving under the influence. She was taken to the Orange County Jail where she posted her $1,000 during the week-end.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Sandy Grinnell

Orlando Personal Injury Lawyer - DUI

Drugged Drivers are Running Rampant

Orlando's Signature Lake Becomes a Parking Spot