The three organizations have teamed up to once again fund state efforts to combat alcohol, cannabis and multiple-substance impaired driving, a persistent but preventable roadway safety threat.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Adam Snider (GHSA), 202-365-8971
Katie Beaumont (Responsibility.org), 202-355-1915
With summer road trip season in full swing, four states receive funding to address drunk and drug-impaired driving
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), Responsibility.org and the National Alliance to Stop Impaired Driving (NASID) have teamed up to once again fund state efforts to combat alcohol, cannabis and multiple-substance impaired driving. Over the past 11 years, this long-running safety effort has provided more than $1.2 million to State Highway Safety Offices (SHSOs) across the country to reduce impaired driving, a persistent but preventable roadway safety threat, and save the lives of thousands of Americans.
The summer months bring family vacations, road trips and beach weekends. Unfortunately, the busy summer travel season also sees a rise in drunk driving rates, with July and August being the worst, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data. Drunk driving deaths finally fell in 2023 after several years of rapid increase when we saw fatalities soar 23% in just four years – from 10,142 in 2019 to 12,429 in 2023.
Alcohol is just one of many impairing substances. Drug- and multiple substance-impaired driving are playing an increasing role in traffic crashes but are more difficult to detect than alcohol-impaired driving and often go underreported. In a study of trauma centers between 2019 and 2021, more than half (56%) of people injured or killed in crashes on U.S. roads tested positive for alcohol and/or other drugs, with cannabis being more likely (25%) than alcohol (23%).
There is also a societal disconnect when it comes to the dangers of cannabis-impaired driving. While 95% of respondents to a public opinion survey by the AAA Traffic Safety Foundation said that driving after drinking is very or extremely dangerous, only 70% said the same about driving within an hour of consuming cannabis.
“Law enforcement is on the front lines of our battle against drunk and drug-impaired driving,” said GHSA Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Adkins. “By equipping them with the best tools, resources and training, we can help them identify and remove impaired drivers from our roads. That makes summer travel safer for everyone.”
“Eliminating impaired driving involves collaboration from everyone within the traffic safety system,” said Darrin Grondel, Senior Vice President of Traffic Safety for Responsibility.org and NASID. “Through new legislation, high visibility enforcement campaigns and advancing technologies, we can continue making progress in getting impaired drivers off nation’s roadways. Together with our partners at GHSA, we’re committed to supporting state efforts that get us closer to our shared goal of preventing precious lives from being lost.”
The grants will help SHSOs and criminal justice professionals in four states and territories – the District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Wyoming – improve their ability to detect impaired drivers and remove them from the road in the following ways:
These projects implement recommendations in a GHSA report on high-risk impaired drivers, funded by Responsibility.org, and the NASID national strategic framework. Proven and innovative solutions to address alcohol-, drug- and multi-substance impaired driving will be discussed in detail at the GHSA 2025 Annual Meeting, August 23-27 in Pittsburgh.
For more information on the grants and previous state program results, visit the GHSA website.
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The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) is a nonprofit association representing the highway safety offices of states, territories, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. GHSA provides leadership and representation for the states and territories to improve traffic safety, influence national policy, enhance program management and promote best practices. Its members are appointed by their Governors to administer federal and state highway safety funds and implement state highway safety plans.
Responsibility.org is a national not-for-profit that aims to eliminate drunk driving and work with others to end all impaired driving, eliminate underage drinking, and empower adults to make a lifetime of responsible alcohol choices. Responsibility.org is funded by the following distillers: Bacardi USA, Inc.; Brown-Forman; Campari Group; Constellation Brands; DIAGEO; Edrington, Hotaling & Co.; Mast-Jägermeister US, Inc.; Moët Hennessy USA; Ole Smoky, LLC; Pernod Ricard USA; Suntory Global Spirits; and William Grant & Sons. For more than 33 years, Responsibility.org has transformed countless lives through programs that bring individuals, families, and communities together to inspire a lifetime of responsible alcohol choices. To learn more, please visit Responsibility.org.
The National Alliance to Stop Impaired Driving is a coalition established and led by Responsibility.org to eliminate all forms of impaired driving, especially multiple substance impaired driving, through effective and proven measures such as DUI system reform, DUI detection, and improved use of data and technology. To learn more visit NASID.org.
