Below is a public service announcement from Sanilac County Sheriff Paul Rich.
(SANIALC COUNTY) We know buzzed driving is drunk driving, but what about driving while drug-impaired? Nationally, it is illegal to drive while impaired by any substance, and this includes drugs. As the Labor Day holiday weekend nears, law enforcement in Sanilac County are participating in the If You Feel Different, You Drive Different. Drive High, Get a DUI. impaired driving awareness campaign, which runs from August 18 through September 6, 2021. This also coincides with the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over initiative, which begins on August 16th.
In support of the law enforcement community’s dedication to protecting the lives of area residents, you’ll see officers working together during this late-summer enforcement period to take drug-impaired drivers off the roads. According to the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, nearly 42 percent of fatalities on Michigan roadways in 2020 involved alcohol and/or drugs. Statewide in 2020, 453 people died in 422 alcohol- and/or drug-involved crashes –- the highest number of fatalities in that category since 2017 when 470 people were killed in alcohol- and/or drug-involved crashes.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), between 2009 and 2018, of those drivers killed in crashes and tested for marijuana, the presence of marijuana had nearly doubled. These statistics show why it is so important that we spread this lifesaving message: If You Feel Different, You Drive Different. Drive High, Get a DUI. It doesn’t matter what term you use: If a person is feeling a little high, buzzed, stoned, wasted, or drunk, he or she should not get behind the wheel. Think driving while high won’t affect you? You’re wrong. It has been proven that THC can slow reaction times, impair cognitive performance, and make it more difficult for drivers to keep a steady position in their lane.
“We want to support our community by keeping it safe from drug-impaired drivers,” said Sheriff Paul Rich. “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. The Sanilac 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 Paul Rich. “Make the right choice and find a sober ride home if you’ve used an impairing substance. Let’s work together to end impaired driving.” Please join us in sharing the lifesaving message, If You Feel Different, You Drive Different
