‘If you drive high, you get DUI’ — new traffic campaign in NJ
You've heard of the "Drive Sober, Get Pulled Over" campaign, which is going on right now in New Jersey. But now the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration is adding another component to the campaign that runs through Labor Day: An emphasis on drug impaired driving.
The new message: "If You Feel Different, You Drive Different. If You Drive High, You Get a DUI."
In New Jersey, almost a third of traffic fatalities involve alcohol impairment. But there's growing concern about the possible legalization of marijuana in New Jersey, which could increase drugged driving.
NHTSA Deputy Administrator Heidi King says it's become more socially acceptable to use marijuana.
"So we're seeing more marijuana users on our roadways. In some studies, we see 42 percent of tested drivers killed in crashes were found drug positive for some impairing drug," she said.
King says that could be pot, opioids, meth and even prescription drugs. But regardless of whether the substance is legal or not, it's still illegal to drive when impaired.
The campaign means that there will be enhanced, high-visibility law enforcement on the highways to enforce the message to drive responsibly.
Authorities ask people who see someone driving erratically to dial #77 in order to report it.