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Drug Use and Possession in Hit-and-Run Accidents

In the US, hit-and-run accidents have risen continuously since 2003. This is of great concern since the majority of Americans drive every day and have few public transportation options. Though there are many possible factors contributing to the increase in hit-and-runs, drug use and illegal possession of drugs are at the top of the list.

According to the Emergency Medical Services Authority, driving under the influence of drugs affects the concentration of the driver, often causing difficulty in the perception of time and space, provoking drowsiness and confusion, and impairing coordination, vision, and judgment. In such a state, a driver is more at-risk for causing an accident -- hitting a pedestrian, colliding with another vehicle -- and less likely to be of help in assisting injured people. The driver, judgment lacking, may also flee from the scene out of fear of the consequences for creating a traffic accident in which people were hurt, while under the influence of drugs. If the driver has drugs in his possession, all the more reason he will not want to stay and await arrest.

But how can the number of people who drive under the influence of drugs be decreased? It seems obvious that driving while impaired is a hazard to anyone on the road, including the driver. The US has strict policies to apprehend such behavior, yet a driver who knows of these consequences may be more inclined to hit-and-run because of them.

Substance abuse is a major contributor to incarceration in the US. Between 2005-2008 drug-related arrests hit an all-time high. This information can mean a few things: that more people are doing drugs, that more people are selling or possessing drugs, or that drug laws have become stricter and more people are getting caught.

It is hard to know exactly how many people use drugs illegally in the US, but based on the number of arrests in drug-related incidents, the public can infer correlation between the rise in drug-related arrests and the rise in hit-and-runs. If more people are using or possessing drugs and driving, more people will be likely to hit-and-run.

Lowering the number of hit-and-runs means lowering the number of drug-related car accidents, including an accident involving a sober driver who possesses drugs. This could require a decrease in illegal drug use or a decriminalization of certain drugs.

According to an article in the LA Times, Mexico is looking to decriminalize drug possession "to distinguish between small-time users and big-time dealers." Though a controversial issue, the decriminalization of certain drugs, namely marijuana, would relieve some fear of penalty that might convince drivers possessing marijuana to commit a hit-and-run.

In the mean time, the Division of Addiction and Recovery Services is counseling inmates arrested for drug abuse or DUI, and their programs are demonstrating a lower return-to-prison rate, and thusly, the inmates are less likely to commit another offense. Hopefully treatments such as these and the further education of the public on laws and drugs will prove helpful in lowering the number of hit-and-runs and tragedies in general.