North Dakota participating in Pilot Program to screen drivers for drugs

(Bismarck, ND) -- North Dakota law enforcement agencies are participating in a pilot program designed to help detect if drivers are under the influence of drugs.

Law enforcement officers are testing out a new device for detecting drugs in a suspected impaired driver's system.

“As illegal THC alternatives make their way into North Dakota, officers need additional tools at their disposal to determine if a driver is impaired,” said Drug Recognition Experts state coordinator, Trooper Tarek Chase. “Vapes containing THC are low in odor, easy to transport and conceal, and are four to five times as potent as a plant, so it is critical for law enforcement to have roadside tools at their disposal.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says 56-percent of drivers involved in serious or deadly crashes in 2020 later tested positive for at least one drug.

If the test program is successful, officers could begin using the mobile device as early as 2025.