NASID Conference Day 2: Youth, Mental Health, Toxicology, and Testing

Throughout the second day of the NASID Conference, prevention advocates, data and toxicology experts, and representatives from the legal and law enforcement communities, shed light on challenges they face in addressing impaired driving while outlining numerous existing and potential solutions to the problem. All of these conversations and presentations have fueled thoughtful dialogue and continue to contribute to the NASID National Strategic Framework.

Here are some insights and takeaways from day two:

College-aged youth and newly graduated young adults are eager, savvy, and energetic participants in the fight against impaired driving. However, nearly half of all traffic fatalities among college students are alcohol-related. Representatives presented facts and showcased ways to involve youth on campuses and in their communities. Deanna Grossi, SADD State Coordinator and College-Aged Lead presented a “road map” for creating new SADD chapters. The answer: every campus is different, but there are student populations eager to join. Drunk and impaired driving should continue to be addressed and should absolutely be an administrative priority.

Repeat DUI offenders with multiple mental health issues are more likely to re-offend, and 45% of repeat DUI offenders have mental health disorders in addition to alcohol use or drug use disorders, per the Mental Health and Impaired Driving Research, Practice and Policy: The “What” vs. The “How” panel. Barriers to mental health screening in the DUI population include lack of awareness, time and resources, and user-friendly tools. A multi-pronged approach is required to effectively address the issue of impaired driving, particularly within vulnerable populations. “We have to really appreciate some of the complexity of this; how change really happens is through compassion, empathy and acceptance,” Julie Seitz, the Project Director at All Rise Impaired Driving Solutions, said.

It is important that judges and prosecutors don’t assume that a first arrest is a first-time impaired driving offense. An impaired driver gets behind the wheel and drives between 300 and 1,200 times before their first arrest. But empathy also needs to extend to the judicial system, particularly in cases involving drug addiction and impaired driving, the Honorable Kate Huffman, a National Judicial Fellow at the American Bar Association, asked “How are we tailoring the interventions to the needs of the individual? We cannot move forward without understanding and appreciating the definition of addiction.”

Cannabis and drug-impaired driving are on the rise, but there’s been no ability to test for impairment. 56% of drivers involved in serious injury and fatal crashes tested positive for at least one drug; as states continue to legalize and decriminalize drugs, this trend will only continue. But law enforcement officers, Rob Duckworth, a Program Specialist at SoToxa said, “Have the ability to empower people to make better decisions, using technology to help them corroborate the impairment.”

Continued comprehensive testing in toxicology is an essential element to addressing impaired driving because limiting testing based on alcohol results alone precludes information on drug involvement in many cases, leading to underreporting of drug contributions to impaired driving. “One of the fundamental pillars that is sometimes overlooked is having data that has been comprehensively tested. It’s one of the tools that can lead us to data-driven solutions.” Mandi Mohr, the Director of the Center for Forensic Science Research and Education, said.

The closing day of the NASID Conference will focus on the final stage in enforcement—prosecution. Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutors Susan Ringer, of West Virginia, and Ashley Schluck, of Wyoming, will discuss why drug recognition experts and toxicologist testimonies are important components prosecutors rely on when presenting DUI cases to juries. Later, a panel of experts—including Anthony Abron, the Government Affairs Manager for the National Safety Council, and Kelly Poulsen, the Senior Vice President of Government Affairs for Responsibility.org—will discuss the barriers when working with state legislatures and Congress to address impaired driving and how to achieve legislative success. And, finally, we are thrilled to have closing speaker, the Honorable Tom Chapman, Member of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) who will provide insight on NTSB’s priorities and recommendations for multiple substance impaired driving prevention.