A two-car crash in Laurel County killed one person and injured three others on September 5, 2018.
According to Lex18, this collision happened close to Kentucky Highway 490 a little after 1PM. Before this crash, a Toyota Camry was traveling west on Hensley Road and a GMC Terrain SUV was heading east. Allegedly, the Toyota driver swerved into the opposing lane of traffic and hit the SUV head-on.
First-responders quickly transported the driver and passenger in the Toyota to a local hospital. Sadly, the passenger crash victim was soon pronounced dead.
Police also brought two child passengers in the SUV to a local hospital. Thankfully, doctors expect these children to survive their injuries.
Although this crash is still under investigation, police believe drugs had something to do with it.
How Common is Drugged Driving?
For many people, DUI is synonymous with drunk driving. While alcohol is still a major factor in DUI crashes, there are a growing number of DUI cases caused by illegal and prescription drugs. The National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates that just under 12 million adults have driven at least once with an illicit drug in their system.
One drug that’s now causing major concern across America is marijuana. With the increasing legalization of marijuana for medicinal and recreational use, there’s been an uptick in the number of cannabis-related DUI arrests.
Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that people who smoke cannabis before driving are 25 percent more likely to get in a crash than someone who didn’t smoke weed. Some studies say that about 13 percent of American drivers on weekend nights have marijuana in their systems.
To better understand Kentucky’s DUI policy, please check out this website put together by the Kentucky State Government.
