OSHP is continuing to crack down on drugged driving in effort to keep Ohio’s roads safe

ZANESVILLE – Of over 1,000 fatal crashes in Ohio last year, 35% of those had at least one driver or pedestrian test positive for either an illegal or prescription drug.

“Depending on the type of drugs the person is taking in their body, it can slow your system down just like alcohol impairment does. Other drug categories can actually speed you up (and) make your brain function faster than it really is so your perception of time and distance is off, you can’t quite judge where the stoplights are, what the speed limit is that you’re trying to follow properly. When you come to a stop sign you may not stop at the stop sign with that lack of time and distance,” OSHP Sergeant Nathan Dennis said.

Sergeant Dennis says that driving under the influence of a drug that has been prescribed to a motorist can be just as dangerous as driving after taking an illegal substance.

“they do put warning labels on prescription bottles saying you should not operate vehicles or machinery while you take that drug and that drug can be impairing and then you take that drug in the morning and you leave to go run your tasks for the day or whatever that may be… what people don’t realize is that drug may take a little while to kick in before you start feeling the effects,” Dennis said.

Last year, troopers cited 5,215 people suspected of driving under the influence of one or more drugs.