The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) Office of Highway Safety has been awarded a $22,000 grant from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and Responsibility.org to fund a training program designed to enhance the identification and treatment of alcohol- and drug-impaired drivers.
Across the country, drug- and multiple substance impaired driving continues to increase. Many of these drivers often go unreported as police may not have the training to recognize drug impairment.
With the funding from this grant, Connecticut will conduct a “green lab” which involves giving volunteers a controlled dose of cannabis, and in some cases a combination of cannabis and alcohol. Law enforcement officers will then perform a series of sobriety tests with the volunteers to witness the impairing effects of these substances. This training will equip officers to better detect cannabis at the roadside, resulting in more impaired and dangerous drivers being removed from roadways before they hurt or kill themselves or others.
Connecticut is one of only five states in the U.S. to receive funding from GHSA to combat this growing safety problem.
“Summer is traditionally a deadly season for impaired driving, so this traffic safety grant is extremely timely,” Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Joe Giulietti said. “This grant will help bolster the ability to deter and detect impaired drivers in Connecticut by providing law enforcement the tools to identify alcohol- and drug-impaired drivers. Expanded testing is critical for protecting all roadway users.”
“Alcohol and drug use increased during the pandemic and we know that many individuals are also getting behind the wheel. It’s tragic and incredibly frustrating to see impaired driving crashes – which are preventable – kill people every day,” said GHSA Executive Director Jonathan Adkins. “We’re proud to continue our longstanding partnership with Responsibility.org to fund countermeasures to advance law enforcement detection, expand critical toxicology lab capabilities, and support the screening, assessment and treatment of impaired drivers.”
For more information on the grants and previous state program results, visit the GHSA website.