WASHINGTON — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) have unveiled new $2.3 million grant program to help combat drug-impaired driving on America’s roads.
The grants will provide funding for state and local agencies to offer advanced roadside impaired driving enforcement and drug recognition expert training to law enforcement, judges and prosecutors. Training courses are expected to begin later this year. The International Association of Chiefs of Police will manage the grant program through a cooperative agreement with NHTSA.
The courses will train participants to observe, identify and articulate the signs of impairment related to drugs, alcohol, or a combination of both in order to reduce the number of impaired drivers and traffic crashes.
“These programs are effective tools to help law enforcement remove drug-impaired drivers from our roads,” NHTSA Deputy Administrator Heidi R. King said. “As officers, judges, prosecutors and others complete these courses, they will learn more about how to identify potentially impaired drivers. This knowledge will aid in the prosecution of impaired-driving offenders and make our roads safer for everyone.”
“The IACP is excited to partner with NHTSA on this important issue. As the manager of the Drug Evaluation and Classification Program, IACP works side by side with the states and provides guidance to their drug-impaired driving enforcement efforts. This will help states train more officers and other members of the justice community and reduce the harm caused by drugged driving on our nation’s roadways,” IACP President Paul M. Cell said.
King said the program builds on NHTSA’s efforts to educate drivers about the dangers of drug-impaired driving, including a call-to-action summit in Washington in March 2018 and a series of regional meetings across the country. NHTSA and the Ad Council also launched a new public service announcement campaign in April to address drug impairment: “If You Feel Different, You Drive Different.”
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
