Don't Drive High

Thursday, 14 May 2015 15:37

A contest and gala is set to be held at WCI to combat the ever growing concern of motorists driving under the influence of drugs.

WOODSTOCK - A contest and gala is set to be held at WCI to combat the ever growing concern of motorists driving under the influence of drugs. 15 teams are currently in the running to try and gain the top 3 spots to have their video shown at the gala. A recent study proves that smoking marijuana 3hrs before driving nearly doubles a drivers risk of a collision that could result in fatalities. Heart FM spoke with Community Service Officer for the OPP Constable, Lisa Narancsik, and she outlines the dangers of driving high. "Driving impaired by drug is just as dangerous as driving impaired by alcohol. It's becoming more and more prevalent there are tests to recognize that this is happening, people are getting killed on the roads by impaired by drug. It is very important we get the word out and that people recognize the dangers of driving while high."

Constable Narancsik knows the importance of students involvement to spread the message. "There was a contest that ran amongst the high school students and what they had to do was create a video which supports the Don't Drive High Campaign. Thursday is going to be the unveiling of the winner, then we will have the Don't Drive High video that we can spread around. We hope that people will see and know the importance of not to drive high." Driving while impaired and driving high will result in the same criminal charge.

The dangers are out there was a term used by Oxford OPP to explain when drivers that climb behind the wheel high and that Police are on the lookout now more than ever. Constable Narancsik commented on how the process is taken to to determine a high driver. "We have Officers that do testing they are called Drug Recognition Evaluators. They are highly trained, it is a lengthy training course that they take just like officers that are trained to give the intoxilizer test. These officers go through a whole series to tell the type of drug or if it is impaired by drug." According to MADD Canada driving high is just as dangerous as driving drunk. Symptoms of smoking marijuana gives you a shorter attention span, altered perception of time and distance, and slows your reaction times.