Tennessee Highway Safety Office Launches New Stop Drugged Driving Campaign
Tennessee Highway Safety Office Launches New Stop Drugged Driving Campaign
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, March 29, 2017
Contact: Arriale Tabson
Mobile: 615-767-3242
Tennessee Highway Safety Office Launches New “Stop Drugged Driving” Campaign
Leonard Family Speaks On Drugged-Driving Crash that Killed Three Family Members in 2015
TENNESSEE – On Wednesday, March 22, the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) was joined by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the Tennessee Department of Health, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, the Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and other public safety partners to launch the THSO’s new “Stop Drugged Driving” campaign to combat Tennessee’s recent spike in drugged-impaired driving crashes and fatalities.
Click here for press event photos: https://goo.gl/photos/b4Nh6s3sUkMjquLn8.
Click here for video footage: www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5TG3yTlh1E.
During the event, Waverly residents Joey and Tammy Leonard spoke about the 2015 drugged-driving crash that resulted in the deaths of three family members. On October 12, 2015, a drugged driver crashed into a vehicle occupying 19-year-old Kassidy T. Leonard, 20-year-old William D. Griggs, and 12-day-old Kimberlynn Griggs. Their vehicle was hit head-on while traveling north on Highway 13 in Houston County. All three occupants were killed instantly.
“We had been praying and crying out to God that this crash did not involve our kids,” said Mr. Leonard. “Our worst fear had become our reality. We later learned that the driver of the other vehicle was impaired.”
The drugged driver survived the crash and was convicted on March 7, 2017, of three counts of vehicular homicide by driver intoxication and three counts of reckless vehicular homicide. Toxicology results indicated that he had oxycodone, methamphetamine, and amphetamine in his system. Sentencing is scheduled for April 24, 2017.
“Since 2015, more Tennessee traffic fatalities have involved a drugged driver than a drunk driver,” said Vic Donoho, Director of the THSO. “The purpose of our ‘Stop Drugged Driving’ campaign is to spread awareness, educate the public, and increase enforcement by advancing our Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) program.”
According to Tennessee’s Integrated Traffic Analysis Network (TITAN), the definition of drugged-impaired driving means the investigating officer indicated that drug use contributed to the crash, or the driver tested positive for one or more of the following: marijuana, cocaine, opiates, amphetamines, phencyclidine (PCP), methamphetamines, and/or other controlled substances, possibly in addition to alcohol.
“At TBI, through the Tennessee Incident-Based Reporting System, we find that while arrests being made by law enforcement across the state are showing a decrease in alcohol-related arrests, the number of drugged-driving arrests is up significantly,” said Jason Locke, Deputy Director of the TBI. “It is clear that many drivers in Tennessee are operating motor vehicles while using alcohol, illegal drugs, and prescription drugs.”
In 2016, the TBI tested blood samples from almost 20,000 driving-related offenses, Locke stated. Of these, 11,000 drivers tested over Tennessee’s legal limit for alcohol. The remaining 9,000 drivers tested for drugs. Results from the last two years show a marked increase in the percentage of drivers who tested positive for Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main chemical component of marijuana. Locke also stated that the number of toxicology samples testing positive for methamphetamine has tripled in the last three years.
However, it’s not just illegal substances detected in the TBI’s toxicology results. According to Locke, prescription drug abuse is increasingly causing serious problems in Tennessee. Alprazolam, commonly known as Xanax, for example, has been found in one-third of the highway safety cases that were tested for drugs by the TBI.
"Everyone needs to think about the substances they and their loved ones are taking, including medications they are prescribed,” said Dr. Morgan McDonald, Assistant Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Health. “We encourage communication between individuals and providers regarding possible side effects and medication interactions, particularly before driving. Medication safety is everyone's concern; if you see behavior that is concerning, act on that observation.”
Data provided by the Tennessee Department of Health shows a drastic increase in the number of Tennessee drug overdose deaths in the past five years. In 2011, there were 1,062 deaths. In 2015, there were 1,451 deaths. For information related to treatment for substance use disorders, please visit www.taadas.org/our-programs-and-services/redline.
“On April 3, our ‘Stop Drugged Driving’ billboard will go up in Waverly to encourage law enforcement to remain vigilant in keeping drugged drivers off Tennessee streets, roads, and highways,” said Mr. Leonard. “Our prayer is that, one day, drugged driving will cease to exist and other families will never have to suffer the tragic loss of loved ones as we have.”
###
Article Date:
Wednesday, March 29, 2017
