In 2002, and again in 2009, the Walsh Group, headed by Dr. Michael Walsh completed work under contract to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to collate, compile, and review laws across all fifty states and Washington D.C., concerning statutory language concerning driving under the influence of drugs (DUID). Those publications became key reference documents and an invaluable resource for allowing state legislatures, traffic safety professionals and federal policy makers track progress in strengthening impaired driving laws. NMS Labs, working in conjunction with StopDUID.org, has updated those data compilations through October of 2014, and is pleased to provide this as a free resource to the Traffic Safety community. The report also includes a summary table that allows a quick comparison of key features of effective legislation including whether the state has a DUID per se law, and whether oral fluid drug testing is permissible for DUID purposes. StopDUID.org also maintains a web site (http://stopduid.org/) with real time updated links to changes in legislation regarding alcohol, drugs and driving, as new laws and policies are put in place by state legislatures. The website also tracks pending legislation on DUI and DUID related issues state by state. Although systems for collecting demographic and prevalence data on drug involvement in fatal crashes are still weak, the evidence for the extent of the drug impaired driving problem in the United States has continued to grow and the advent of more widespread medical marijuana laws and outright decriminalization and legalization of recreational marijuana has raised the profile of the drugged driving issue. The National Safety Council’s Alcohol, Drugs and Impairment Division (ADID), has led an initiative to promote standardization of testing in impaired driving investigations, and NMS labs has adopted those recommendations in developing its own testing protocols. (Author/publisher)
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