The Lyon County Sheriff’s Office will be extra vigilant regarding impaired drivers later this week.
Each year April 20, known commonly as 420, sees an increase in marijuana use as the day is annually recognized as a “marijuana holiday.” As such, local law enforcement is anticipating an uptick in impaired driving and is once again teaming up with the US Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to remind all drivers that “If You Feel Different, You Drive
Different.”
According to statistics from NHTSA, the presence of marijuana in fatality car crashes nearly doubled between 2009 and 2018 with 46 percent of drivers killed in crashes in 2018 alone testing positive for drugs. Lyon County Deputy Jody Meyers says in a news release “It doesn’t matter what the day is; marijuana impairment is a threat when you’re behind the wheel of a vehicle, we are asking our community members to obey the law and to make safe choices when behind the wheel of a vehicle.”
Drivers who may be utilizing marijuana are encouraged to take the following precautions to ensure they do not harm themselves or anyone else:
*If you have used marijuana do not get behind the wheel. Also, do not get into a car with a drug-impaired driver.
*Just like when consuming alcohol, have a designated driver who will not participate in any substances. *Do not allow friends who may be impaired to drive.
*If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact Lyon County Communications Center at 620-343-4225.
Those who are found to be driving under the influence could face fines of up to $2,500, a year of imprisonment and revocation of their driver’s license depending on the number of offenses.
