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Car Accident Attorney Reports: Drugged Driving Arrests Skyrocket

While it's still much more common for drunk driving arrests, police in the greater NYC area are seeing a dramatic increase in the number of arrests of people who are high on drugs.  Driving while ability impaired by drugs carries the same penalties as driving under the influence of alcohol.  Usually it is classified as a misdemeanor unless the offender has a prior conviction for the same crime.

In 2008 there were 352 arrests for either driving under the influence of drugs or a combination of drugs and alcohol in Westchester, Putnam, and Rockland counties.  This is a huge rise over what was seen 10 years ago.  The type of person being arrested for drugged driving is a combination of those using illegal street drugs, illegally obtained prescription drugs, and those not using prescription drugs properly.  Many prescription drugs carry warnings about operating a motor vehicle while using that medication.  These drugs can impair driving abilities.

Police attest the increase in arrests partly to officers being trained to be more aware of the signs of drugged driving.  There are 250 Drug Recognition Experts (DRE's) in the state of NY.  These specialized officers complete over 200 hours of training in recognizing signs and behaviors of those driving under the influence of drugs.  These officers can test vital signs and blood pressure among other things once a suspect has been arrested.  Most other officers complete a 16 hour training course to help them identify the basics of drugged driving behavior.

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