COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) - Sergeant Patrick Rice with the Colorado State Patrol says although the state has made serious progress when it comes to detecting and enforcing driving under the influence of marijuana they still have a long way to go.
“We still have a long way to go as you can see on our roads we still have many many impaired drivers killing people drivers in Colorado nearly every day,” Rice said.
Just last year there were 235 crashes caused by impaired driving in El Paso County. Tied with 2022 but the highest number the county has seen in the last ten years. Rice says over the years he has learned key differences to spot drivers who are driving while high.
“Many of the dangers of the same it’s a slow, cognitive decision making abilities. It’s your abilities to see down the road and acknowledge a threat and respond,” Rice said.
Imagine if you had to tell a family that their child was never coming home again...because a driver had a few too many drinks and they were too lazy to get a taxi? How would you feel if it was your child? Your brother, your parent, your best friend? Now imagine that you're the one who had a few drinks and thought...Home isn't too far. I'll make it without getting busted. While on the back streets worrying if the booze bus will catch you, you hit someone. How do you live with that for the rest of your life?