Roadside Drug Test Tech Introduced to Stop Intoxicated Driving

On Behalf of | Mar 22, 2018 | Drug Charges

Auto accident deaths have increased in recent years. This has caused lawmakers to crack down on drug use while driving.

For many years, the primary problem with roadside testing for any drugs other than alcohol has been the lack of technology that could actually perform accurate tests. But what if there was such a device? What if the police could test for marijuana and other drugs in drivers’ systems using simple, accurate procedures?

The New Technology for Roadside Drug Testing

According to a recent report from Claims Journal, this technology now exists, and it will be used by police to test drivers for impairment from marijuana and other drugs.

In Michigan, and then possibly in other regions throughout the country, police will be using drug testing devices that allegedly show levels of drugs to identify instances of drug impairment while driving.

However, there are some problems with the use of this new technology, including:

  • No consensus on what amounts to impairment: Even if this new tech can accurately show level of intoxicants in a driver’s system, there is no consensus as to what amount of a given intoxicant would result in intoxication. Without such consensus, it would be easy to convict someone who isn’t actually impaired in any way.
  • Problems with the accuracy of the tests: There is no consensus as to whether the tests the police will be using are actually accurate. Of course, the tests would need to be accurate to be legally viable.
  • Focusing on the wrong cause: Also, no one seems to questioning whether marijuana and other drugs really are the cause of the increase in auto accident fatalities in the first place. Especially with the increase of smart phone use while driving, it would be a better strategy to nail down the cause before coming up with this type of invasive solution.

Regardless of whether these roadside drug tests make their way to Florida, it is important to note that the authorities are apparently willing to take drastic measures to make sure people aren’t driving while intoxicated, so make smart decisions out there.

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