The dangers of combining driving with alcohol use are well-known and most people in Cincinnati try to avoid drunk driving. However, it is also important not to drive while high on drugs. Drugged driving can also be extremely dangerous.
Take, for example, a recent incident on Interstate 75. In this incident, a person who was reportedly high on heroin led police on a 25-mile high-speed car chase. The chase ended in a deadly collision that claimed the life of an innocent motorist who was just trying to leave his home. The drugged driver was ultimately apprehended. In another recent example, a drugged driver caused a collision on Interstate 75. His vehicle was located in a tree line area. The driver had reportedly overdosed on drugs.
In fact, the Ohio State Highway Patrol reports that 391 deadly accidents in 2016 were the result of those who drove while high on drugs. Statistics put out by the Ohio Department of Transportation show a 25 percent rise in drugged driving accidents since 2012. According to the statistics, there were more than 3,500 accidents relating to drugged driving in 2016, which accounted for around 33 percent of all impaired driving accidents.
One officer believes this uptick in fatal OVI accidents reflects our nation’s heroin problem. Of course, he also pointed out that it’s not whether the issue of drugged driving is more important than drunk driving, or vice versa. In the end, it is all impaired driving that could lead to serious accidents that injure or even kill other motorists.
As this shows, our nation’s drug problem goes much further than those who deal the drugs to addicts on the street. Everyday people are getting their hands on illegal drugs, and then are getting behind the wheel of a car while high. Doing so can lead to tragic accidents. It is important, therefore that those who cause a crash while high on drugs, just like those who cause drunk driving accidents, are held liable for the damages they cause.
Source: wdtn.com, “Spike in drugged driving crashes,” Charlisa Gordon, March 29, 2017
