LANSING, MI (WHTC-AM/FM) – In an effort to combat the dangers of drugged driving, five Michigan counties will launch a a one-year oral fluid roadside drug testing pilot program.
The program by the Michigan State Police (MSP) will begin November 8, 2017 and will include the counties of Berrien, Delta, Kent, St. Clair and Washtenaw. The pilot counties were chosen based on several criteria, including the number of impaired driving crashes, impaired drivers arrested and trained Drug Recognition Experts (DREs) in the county.
DREs are police officers who have received highly specified training that allows them to identify drivers impaired by drugs. Although the pilot program is being organized and managed by the MSP, DREs employed by county, township and municipal police agencies will also be involved.
Lt. Jim Flegel of MSP State Services Bureau tells WHTC News that they will not be pulling over drivers randomly.
“If they see some indicators that they are impaired on either alcohol or drugs, then they can make a traffic stop. It’s not going to be like there is going to be check points for doing oral fluid swabs or anything like that. There still has to be probable cause.”
The pilot program will establish policies for the administration of roadside drug testing to determine whether an individual is operating a vehicle while under the influence of a controlled substance in violation of Michigan law.
Over the last several years, Michigan has seen a steady increase in fatal crashes involving drivers impaired by drugs. In 2016, there were 236 drug-involved traffic fatalities, which is an increase of 32 percent from 179 drug-involved traffic fatalities in 2015.
The preliminary oral fluid analysis will be conducted by a DRE on the person’s oral fluid, obtained by mouth swab, and will be administered along with the drug recognition 12-step evaluation currently used by DREs. Refusal to submit to a preliminary oral fluid analysis upon lawful demand of a police officer is a civil infraction.
