Kansas joins five other states in drugged driving enforcement

We are going to be a little blunt: If you drive high, you can kiss your driver’s license goodbye. Driving while under the influence of drugs is not worth it.

From Friday, April 20, through Sunday, April 22, the Kansas Highway Patrol and local law enforcement agencies will join five other states in a three-day, high-visibility enforcement targeting drug and alcohol impaired driving, among other traffic safety issues. Other states involved in the initiative are: Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.

In Kansas last year, there were 461 fatalities on the roadways, and 20-percent of those involved a drug impaired driver. The purpose of this high-visibility enforcement is to decrease impaired driving on our roadways.

According to the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA), they found a 12-percent increase in the relative risk of a fatal crash after 4:20 p.m. on April 20^th, compared to the same time intervals on other days.

KHP’s Drug Recognition Experts (DREs) and Breath Alcohol Unit (BAU) will be assisting with enforcements across the state. Citations may be issued to any individuals who refuse to obey traffic laws, whether for impaired driving, speeding, seat belt violations, or others. If an individual refuses to submit to a blood test, a search warrant can be obtained for their blood.

Overtime for this enforcement is being funded through the Kansas Department of Transportation, RAVE (Roving Aggressive Violators Enforcement) and the Fatality Reduction Grant.