If You Feel Different, You Drive Different
Providence, RI: The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is teaming up with the Providence Police Department, and other state and local law enforcement agencies,to urge drivers to stay sober behind the wheel. Saturday, April 20, 2024, marks the unofficial marijuana “holiday,” and there will likely be an increase in marijuana use. Marijuana laws are in place across the country and drug use behind the wheel is on the rise. Impaired driving is illegal and deadly and this campaign serves as a reminder to all drivers: If You Feel Different, You Drive Different.
We are asking our community to use their best judgement, obey the law, and make safe choices when driving a vehicle. Your decisions don’t just affect you — they affect everyone on the road.
It has been proven that marijuana and other drugs can slow reaction times, impair cognitive performance, and make it difficult for drivers to maintain a steady position within their lane of travel. Whether legally prescribed, over the counter or illegal, drug-impaired driving poses a threat to everyone on the road.
Individuals who use marijuana on 4/20 (or any day) should not drive. If you find yourself impaired before operating a motor vehicle, give your keys to a sober driver who can safely drive you home or to a safe place. Remind your friends to never get in a vehicle with an impaired driver. If you have a friend who is about to drive while high, take the keys away and help them get home safely, they will thank you later.
There are many options to help impaired drivers return home safely. If you see an impaired driver on the road, call 911 from a safe location.
By working together, we can save lives and help keep America’s roadways safe. Please join NHTSA in sharing the lifesaving message, If You Feel Different, You Drive Different. For more information on impaired driving, please visit www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drug-impaired-driving.
