Hawaiʻi Police Department
Traffic Services Section
Torey Keltner, Program Manager
Phone: (808) 961-2305
Media Release
As the Halloween weekend approaches, the Hawai‘i Police Department and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are teaming up to remind drivers about the deadly consequences of drug-impaired driving. If you are under the influence of any drug, whether legally or illegally obtained, and you choose to get behind the wheel of a vehicle, you put everyone in danger, including yourself. Help us spread this lifesaving message: If You Feel Different, You Drive Different.
Nationally, in 2019, 49 percent of drivers who were killed in crashes and were tested for drugs tested positive. The number is similar locally as well. In 2021, 26 people were killed in traffic collisions on Hawai‘i Island roads, compared to 15 fatalities in 2020. Of the 26 fatalities last year, 21 of them were due to impairment with 10 involving both alcohol and drugs, 10 deaths involving drugs only, and one death due to alcohol only. To date, Big Island traffic fatalities have increased 50 percent over last year with 30 people dying in 2022. It’s unknown at this time how many of those traffic deaths were due to impairment as investigators are awaiting toxicology results.
This is why Hawai‘i Island police are reminding motorists that If You Feel Different, You Drive Different. It doesn’t matter what term you use: If a person is feeling a little high, stoned, or wasted, he or she should not get behind the wheel. Some people mistakenly believe that marijuana won’t affect their ability to drive safely, but it has been proven that THC can slow reaction times, impair cognitive performance, and make it more difficult for drivers to keep a steady position in their lane. Taking certain types of prescription drugs can also impact a person’s ability to drive, especially when combined with alcohol of illicit drugs.
“If you’re heading out to a Halloween party, you should plan a sober ride home in advance,” said Torey Keltner, Hawai‘i Police Department’s Traffic Services Program Manager.
“If you plan to use an impairing substance, you should plan for a sober ride home. Before you ever get behind the wheel of a vehicle, remember: If You Feel Different, You Drive Different.” And if you’re a designated driver, stick to the plan: don’t use drugs (legally or illegally obtained).
Play It Safe
- 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.
- If you’re planning to use drugs, plan ahead for a sober driver to safely drive 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.
- 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 — they’ll thank you later.
- If available, use your community’s sober ride program.
If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact 9-1-1 if it is an emergency of the police department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311.
