One in Three Killed Drivers Tested Positive for Drugs

New research from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) found one in three drivers killed on the road in 2009 had drugs in their system, USA Today reported Nov. 30.

Drug tests came back positive for a range of substances, from prescribed narcotics to illegal stimulants and anabolic steroids.

The results excluded drivers who tested positive for alcohol.

The data indicated a 5-percent jump in positive drug tests among traffic fatalities since 2005, an increase Office of National Drug Control Policy director Gil Kerlikowske said in an accompanying press release was “alarmingly high.”

“Drugged driving is a much bigger public health threat than most Americans realize and unfortunately, it may be getting worse,” said Kerlikowske.

“It is critical that communities across the nation address the threat of drugged driving as we redouble our efforts to make America's roadways safer by increasing public awareness, employing more targeted enforcement, and developing better tools to detect the presence of drugs among drivers.”