2020 IF YOU FEEL DIFFERENT, YOU DRIVE DIFFERENT.
DRIVE HIGH, GET A DUI.
ENFORCEMENT CAMPAIGN
NEWS RELEASE
Crisp County, Ga — This Labor Day holiday weekend, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is teaming up with Crisp County Sheriff’s Office to get drug-impaired drivers off the roads and help save lives. The national high-visibility enforcement campaign, If You Feel Different, You Drive Different. Drive High, Get a DUI., runs from August 21 through September 7, 2020. During this period, local law enforcement will show zero tolerance for drug-impaired driving. Increased state and national messages about the dangers of driving impaired, coupled with law enforcement and increased officers on the road, aim to drastically reduce drug-impaired driving on our nation’s roadways.
Like drunk driving, nationally, it is illegal to drive under the influence of drugs — no exceptions. Whether the drug is obtained legally or illegally, drug-impaired driving poses a threat to the driver, vehicle passengers, and other road users. NHTSA is working closely with Crisp County Sheriff’s Office to spread the word about the dangers of drug-impaired driving and to remind all drivers: If you are impaired by drugs and are caught driving, you will be pulled over and arrested. The message is clear: If You Feel Different, You Drive Different. Drive High, Get a DUI.
“Our goal as law enforcement officers is to keep our community members safe, and it is essential that we protect people from impaired drivers,” said Sheriff Billy Hancock. “The bottom line is that no matter what the substance is, if it has impaired you, you should not be driving. We want everyone to enjoy a safe and happy Labor Day. Please commit to yourself and your community members that you’ll drive sober over the holiday weekend, and every day,” he said.
According to NHTSA, between 2008 and 2017, of those drivers killed in crashes and tested for marijuana, marijuana use had nearly doubled. In 2017 alone, 45% of drivers who were killed in crashes, and tested for drugs, tested positive. This is why it’s so important we spread this lifesaving message: If You Feel Different, You Drive Different. It doesn’t matter what term you use: If a person is feeling a little high, buzzed, stoned, wasted, or drunk, he or she is impaired and should not get behind the wheel. Think driving while high won’t affect you? You’re wrong. It has been proven that Tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC — the chemical responsible for most of marijuana’s psychoactive effects — can slow reaction times, impair cognitive performance, and make it more difficult for drivers to keep a steady position in their lane.
Something as simple as cold medication or an over-the-counter sleep aid could impair your driving. If it does, you could be arrested for a DUI. If you are taking a new prescription drug or a higher dose of a current prescription drug, do not drive until you know what effect it has on your judgement, coordination, and reaction time. Any effect could impair your driving ability. In fact, certain medications may not impair you on their own, but if taken with a second medication or with alcohol, they may cause impairment. Any form of impaired driving is illegal.
Crisp County Sheriff’s Office and NHTSA are reminding citizens of the many resources available to get them home safely. “Driving impaired is a choice,” said Sheriff Billy Hancock. “Make the right choice and find a sober ride home if you’ve indulged in an impairing substance. This Labor Day holiday, we will make zero exceptions for drug-impaired driving. There are just no excuses,” he said.
Crisp County Sheriff’s Office recommends these safe alternatives to drug-impaired driving:
- If you have ingested an impairing substance such as marijuana, alcohol, prescription drugs, sleep medication, or any form of illegal drug, do not drive. Passengers should never ride with an impaired driver. If you think a driver may be impaired, do not get in the car.
- If you are drug-impaired, pass the keys to a sober driver who can safely drive you to your final destination. Like drunk driving, it is essential that drug-impaired drivers refrain from driving a vehicle. It is never okay to drive while impaired by any substance.
- Do you have a friend who is about to drive while impaired by drugs? Take the keys away and arrange to get them home safely. Don’t worry about offending someone — they’ll thank you later.
- If you see an impaired driver on the road, call 9-1-1.
For more information about the If You Feel Different, You Drive Different. Drive High, Get a DUI. campaign, visit https://www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov/get-materials/drug-impaired-driving/drive-high-get-dui.
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