Considerable Uncertainty Exists Around Whether It’s Legal To Drive While Impaired By Rx Medications – Especially Stimulants.
There is some ambivalence around driving while impaired by prescription medications. HALF (50%) BELIEVE DRIVING WHILE IMPAIRED BY PRESCRIPTION OPIOIDS TO BE A SERIOUS CRIME, leaving the remainder to view it as either a minor traffic offense or legal ( 24% ), or unsure or unable to respond ( 26% ). U.S. adults are even more confused when it comes to driving while impaired by prescription depressants. 36% BELIEVE IT IS A SERIOUS CRIME vs. 33% who think it is a minor traffic offense or legal and 31% who are unsure or don’t answer. And they are considerably more confused by prescription stimulants ( 29% BELIEVE IT IS A SERIOUS CRIME vs. 37% who think it is a minor traffic offense or legal and 34% who are unsure or don’t answer, respectively).
Driving While Impaired By Opioids Is…
Driving While Impaired By Rx Depressants Is…
Driving While Impaired By Stimulants Is…
26%
31%
29%
34%
36%
50%
24%
33%
37%
Unsure / Refused
Minor Traffic Offense / Legal
Illegal / Serious Crime
However, most U.S. adults understand the legal implications of drunk driving. Large majorities consider driving while impaired by alcohol and poly-drugged driving – which can include alcohol – to be illegal and serious crimes (84% and 81%, respectively). There is somewhat more ambivalence around driving while impaired by marijuana, where half (52%) see it as illegal and a serious crime. Drugged driving in any form is a serious crime, and it will take all of us to make our roadways safe.
85% SAY THEY WOULD BE VERY UNCOMFORTABLE RIDING WITH SOMEONEWHO HAS CONSUMED AMIXTURE OF ALCOHOL, MARIJUANA, AND/OR PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS – referred to in this report as “poly-drugged driving.” When asked to assess the level of public safety concern that driving under this same set of substances poses to American communities, poly-drugged driving takes the top spot. When it comes to level of discomfort riding with a driver under the influence of various substances, prescription opioids take the number two spot (68% rate as very uncomfortable), while alcohol lands in third place (60%). Likely given its greater prevalence and ease of access, alcohol ranks as the second-greatest public safety concern in American communities (55%) – just ahead of Rx opioids (48%).
Very Uncomfortable Riding With Someone Who Has Consumed...
85%
SEVEN IN 10 (69%) RATE DRIVING AFTER RECENT CONSUMPTION OF AMIXTUREOF ALCOHOL, MARIJUANA, AND/OR PRESCRIPTION
MEDICATIONSASVERYCONCERNING . 7 in 10
Made with FlippingBook Digital Publishing Software