Congress provides both incentives and threats to States to encourage them to improve highway safety. Incentives come in the form of grants to States that successfully adopt practices to reduce impaired driving. The national DUI alcohol per se standard came from a threat to reduce highway funding if States did not adopt a .08 BAC standard. These incentives and threats are codified in 23 US Code ¶405.
Incentives are written to address impaired driving, but all programs listed are specific to alcohol impairment. Not a single incentive addresses drug impairment.
April 2, 2015, DUID Victim Voices and its partner We Save Lives submitted a White Paper to Congress’s Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure to request revisions to 23 US Code¶405 to provide incentives to States to implement technologies, practices and laws specifically directed at the measurement and deterrence of drugged driving.
The White Paper proposes initiatives:
- Collect, analyze and publish DUID data.
- Implement both preliminary and evidentiary oral fluid testing.
- Mandatory drug testing in cases of fatalities, serious bodily injuries or DUI arrest.
- Additional DREs and ARIDE-trained officers.
- Electronic warrants to reduce blood sampling delays.
- Enhanced penalties for DUID due to drug combinations
- Administrative License Revocation for drugged driving
- Responsible DUID laws – NOT 5 ng/ml for THC
- 24/7 sobriety programs for alcohol and drug offenders