During the Labor Day holiday period, including the last weeks of August and the busy holiday weekend, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is working alongside the law enforcement community to decrease impaired driving. NHTSA and Louisiana law enforcement are working tirelessly to spread the word about the dangers of drug-impaired driving and to remind all drivers: If you plan to use drugs, plan ahead for a sober driver. Law enforcement will be participating in the If You Feel Different, You Drive Different. Drive High, Get a DUI high-visibility drug-impaired-driving enforcement period.

Know the Facts

• If you’re planning to use marijuana or any impairing drug, do not drive. Whether the drug is legally obtained or not, drug-impaired driving poses a threat to everyone on the road.
• In every U.S. state and territory, it is illegal to drive under the influence of drugs — no exceptions.
• If you think driving while high from marijuana won’t affect you, you’re wrong: It has been shown that marijuana can slow reaction times, impair cognitive performance, and make it more difficult for drivers to keep a steady position in their lane. 

The Cost of Impaired Driving

• You can get a DUI for driving high, which could set you back $10,000 in attorney’s fees, fines, court costs, lost time at work, higher insurance rates, and more.
• If you’re caught driving under the influence of any impairing substance, you can face jail time. Imagine trying to explain that to your friends and family or your place of employment.
• Drug-impaired driving could cause you to lose your driver’s license and your vehicle. This could stop you from getting to work, resulting in lost wages and, potentially, job loss.
• Courts can require you to install an ignition interlock device even if your impairment was related to drugs and not alcohol. 

Only Drive Sober

• If you are planning to use drugs, plan ahead for a sober driver to safely get you to your destination. Like drunk driving, it is essential that drug-impaired drivers refrain from driving a vehicle. It is never okay to drive while impaired by any substance — regardless of whether it was legally obtained.
• If you have used an impairing substance such as marijuana, do not drive. Passengers should never ride with an impaired driver. If you think a driver may be impaired, do not get in the car.
• It doesn’t matter what term you use — high, stoned, or wasted — never get behind the wheel after using an impairing substance.
• Do you have a friend who is about to drive while impaired by drugs? Take the keys away and arrange to get them home safely. Don’t worry about offending someone —you might just save their life.
• If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact local law enforcement.

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