Seeing Green: NY State Police Steps Up DWI Driving Enforcement

On Thursday, April 20, the enforcement and prevention campaign declared that the state police will increase their patrols to focus on driving under the influence of drugs.

In a statement, the New York State Police declared that their campaign's objective is to provide over 100 additional officers with Drug Recognition Experts (DRE) training statewide, which is overseen by the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee.

By means of the DRE program, officers are instructed in identifying impairments in drivers who are under the influence. The Traffic Safety Committee anticipates that the total number of trained officers will reach 550 by the conclusion of 2023 with the inclusion of the newly trained officers.

Furthermore, the state troopers have been mandated by the police department to participate in the Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement program, which imparts further expertise in recognizing drug-influenced driving behaviors.

The declaration is made on a day that is widely considered a holiday in the cannabis community.

The state of New York legalized marijuana in 2021, and the first dispensary was opened in late 2022.

Although the police did not completely discourage the use of cannabis, their announcement emphasized the hazards of operating a vehicle while using any substance, including alcohol and marijuana. According to the CDC, approximately 12.6 million Americans admitted to doing so in 2018.

Though the CDC has not yet released information on the fatalities in accidents caused by marijuana impairment, a smaller study revealed that about 25% of drivers who were severely injured in accidents between September 2019 and July 2021 had tested positive for marijuana use during the time of the incident.

It's advised by the New York State Police that those who use marijuana should make a safe travel arrangement, which involves not allowing their impaired friends to drive and also refusing to ride with a driver who might be under the influence.

For more information about the police’s expanded training protocols, click here.

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