NTSB wants all new vehicles to check drivers for alcohol use

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This is going a bit too far IMO. Personally, I would never purchase a new vehicle that makes me take a breath test before allowing me to drive it. I understand the need for this to be installed on a vehicle whose driver has been convicted of a DUI. What do you think?
 
There's also people out there who take pain pills and drive. I wonder how safe that really is...

Well...it always says on the bottle not to take them and drive, assuming it's a legal prescription. BTW-it's still impaired driving under the law.
 
Well...it always says on the bottle not to take them and drive, assuming it's a legal prescription. BTW-it's still impaired driving under the law.

And how is that supposed to work for people who take opioid pain pills every day for years on end? It doesn't, they take 'em and drive.
 
That’s how many of the heroin & prescription drug addicts got their start, heroin is cheaper for the same (or much greater) effect. Opioids are a major curse.

I'm aware. There are counties in Virginia where there are doctors who have prescribed enough opioid pills that it amounts to 300 pills per county resident.
 
And how is that supposed to work for people who take opioid pain pills every day for years on end? It doesn't, they take 'em and drive.
Opioid-abusing drivers clearly represent an unnecessary danger to the public; although the vast majority of patients taking prescription opioids for pain safely drive to work and other activities, a subset may be impaired, but not be aware of or recognize the problem. The majority of pain patients would likely be surprised to learn that the legal systems in most parts of the world, including most states in the United States, do not differentiate between a pain patient taking a prescribed opioid at the right dose and frequency, and an abuser taking an illegal drug.

 
And how is that supposed to work for people who take opioid pain pills every day for years on end? It doesn't, they take 'em and drive.
If such a person (legally prescribed) crashes their car, they are driving under the influence. Really no different from a DUI unless their defense team can argue it didn't contribute to the crash.

Typically someone on a prescribed pain regiment takes a steady dose and their body adapts / builds tolerance and you don't really get high. But therein lies the problem with opiates-- they're readily available and once tolerance builds, people seek more.
 
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