It wasn’t that long ago in our civilization that people would get cited for a DWI, known at the time as driving while intoxicated, which implied alcohol of some kind.

But oh, how times have changed. Now we don’t hear abut DWIs but now DUIs – or driving under the influence.

The influence of what, you are asking, right? I have asked that same question.

Am I driving under the influence of my high-school driver’s-education teacher?

Am I driving under the influence of good?

Am I driving under the influence of my right foot on the gas pedal?

[Image courtesy of Flickr user Josh Hallett via a Creative Commons license]Driving under the influence has taken on a different meaning than just alcohol over the last 30 years. While alcohol use has dropped among drivers (down 30 percent since 2007), the rate in which marijuana and other drug use among drivers has spiked in recent years. Rather than ending impaired driving, we seem to have replaced one impairment for another.

The word “influence” is funny, no? Anyway, the point is that we have come to understand that “under the influence” now goes beyond driving after drinking alcohol. And why has the teminology changed? Interestingly, because the “Don’t Drink and Drive” campaigns we have seen over the last 30 years have proven to be very effective.

But the alcohol has been replaced by other impairments.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) conducts a regular survey called the National Roadside Survey of Alcohol and Drug Use by Drivers, collecting data about drivers in general and looking at causes of crashes and roles that alcohol and other impairment drugs play in those crashes.

And with that, there is good news and bad news.

First, the good news: Since the surveys started in 1973, the number of drunk-driving cases has dropped by an impressive 80 percent. Some credit goes to the various public-safety announcements that made the airwaves over the last 40 years, certainly.

But now the bad news: Since 2007, the number of cases involving marijuana has shot up 50 percent. And overall, nearly a quarter of all drivers (22 percent to be exact) in the msot recent survey tested positive for some impairment – alcohol, marijuana, another illegal drug or even over-the-counter or prescription medications. (You know, those that have the warning, “Do not operate heavy machinery within 8 hours after taking this medication.”)

To take a deeper look into the effect of non-alcohol impairments, a second study focused primarily on about 9,000 drivers over a 20-month timeframe – 3,000 of the drivers were involved in a crash during this time, while the other 6,000 were not. What the survey found was that drivers who were under the influence of marijuana were more likely to be involved in crashes. However, the study noted that many marijuana users were young men, which happens to already be a demographic that is at an inherently higher risk for crashes. So it seems to say that more study needs to be done on this aspect to separate out the risks of young meale driers in general and those young male drivers who smoke pot. But the survey at least showed something significant to be worth further investigation.

This is an important issue now, since several U.S. states have fully legalized marijuana use, and several others have allowed it for medical or medicinal purposes.  But to date, there has not been an in-depth study of the effects of marjuana use on drivers, so it has been hard to come up with new safety rules and protocols to account for tthose who make the decision to drive while high. Certainly there will be baited breath throughout the U.S. as this research culminates and guidelines are put forth to mitigate the crash risk for all drivers whether impaired or not.

While marijuana seems to affect the brain and human body in ways similar to alcohol, it is often hard to tell who is under the influence and who is not when on the road. Until more definitive information comes out, it is always wise to keep your head on a swivel and be defensive as a driver. After all, when one in four drivers are under the influence of something, they are definitely not influenced by common sense or good judgment.

And it only takes one to do damage to lives and property. On a four-lane highway, if you are not under the influence, someone in one of the other lanes is, so drive sensibly and smartly.

Just something to think about. If you’d like more information about these surveys from the NHTSA, visit the website at www.nhtsa.gov.