Law enforcement agencies, including Hot Springs police, throughout Arkansas will conduct a campaign targeting drug-impaired drivers on Friday and Saturday, police said in a news release.
Dubbed "Drive High, Get a DUI," the campaign is an intensified effort to fight drug-impaired driving in correlation with the 4/20 "holiday," which grew out of a reference to smoking marijuana at 4:20 p.m., with similar operations taking place in Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska and Oklahoma.
"Up and down the highways of these states, officers will be arresting anyone caught driving impaired," the release said.
As part of the Arkansas operation, officers will intensify enforcement of the state's drug-impaired driving laws. Like drunken driving, drug-impaired driving is illegal in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C.
"It is never safe to drive impaired. This not only means refraining from drunken driving, but also from drug-impaired driving," the release said. "Many people wrongly believe that driving while high won't affect them. It has been proven that THC -- the chemical responsible for most of marijuana's psychological effects -- slows reaction times, impairs cognitive performance and makes it more difficult for drivers to keep a steady position in their lane.
"The bottom line is this: It doesn't matter what term is used, if a person is high, stoned, wasted or drunk, he or she is impaired. Driving while impaired by any substance is illegal and can be deadly to the driver and other road users."
Drug-impaired driving puts the driver, their passengers and others on the road at "tremendous risk," the release said, noting, "something as simple as cold medication or an over-the-counter sleep aid could impair driving."
The release states a new prescription drug or a higher dose of a current prescription drug can lead to impaired driving.
"Do not drive until you know what effect it has on your judgment, coordination, and reaction time. Any effect could impair your driving ability. Certain medications may not impair you on their own, but if taken with a second medication or with alcohol, they may cause impairment. Any form of impaired driving is illegal," it said.
Officials recommend planning ahead and designating a sober or unimpaired driver, using public transportation or a ride-share service. NHTSA's SaferRide mobile app can connect anyone in need of a sober ride with a taxi or a friend. Visit http://www.nhtsa.gov for more information.
Local on 04/18/2019