Over 20 Million People Reported Driving While Under The Influence Of Alcohol

An alarming number of drivers aged 16 and older reportedly have driven while under the influence of alcohol according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) released in 2019.  In that same age range nearly 13 million people reported driving while under the influence of illicit drugs.

Other findings from the report included that men were more likely then women to drive while under the influence of alcohol and drugs.  Also, those aged 21-25 were the age range with the highest reported drug use while driving, this right in front of those aged 16-21 and 26 and over.

While there is good information on the role drinking and driving plays in Connecticut auto accidents, the statistics on drugged driving are a little more difficult to ascertain due to a number of circumstances including;

1. Lack of a good roadside test to detect drugs in the system
2. The fact that drugs linger in the body for multiple days after their use so any blood or urine test that detects drug use may turn up evidence that may not be able to directly be tied to the incident.
3. Drug tests are often not administered because generally police have already conducted a blood alcohol test which allows them enough evidence for a DUI arrest.
4. Many drivers who are involved in accidents are often found with multiple drugs and alcohol in their system so nailing down a particular drug used by a driver can be challenging.

While testing for drugged driving can be difficult, authorities suspect that marijuana is the second most used drug, behind alcohol, that results in auto accidents involving drugs of any kind.If you or a loved one were injured in a Connecticut auto accident and need an experienced attorney to review your case, contact our office immediately.