According to a 2016 Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) report, 44 percent of drivers killed in car crashes tested positive for controlled substances. This figure was based in cases where test results were known for a driver. That is an increase of 16 percent over a period of 10 years. Of those who were on drugs when killed, 38 percent had marijuana in their system. Furthermore, 4 percent had both marijuana and opioids in their system.

It is believed that the lack of testing for drug impairment is one reason why drugged driving is becoming a larger problem. As different drugs have different effects on a person, it may not be possible to come up with a single comprehensive test. While drugged driving has become an increasingly common occurrence, the percentage of drivers killed in car accidents with alcohol in their bodies decreased. In 2016, 38 percent of drivers in fatal accidents were impaired by alcohol compared to 41 percent 10 years prior.

Those who study the issue say that the strategies used to combat drunk driving could be used to combat drugged driving as well. Groups such as the GHSA have training tools that can teach police officers how to tell if a person is impaired on drugs or alcohol. According to the CEO of Responsibility.org, drunk and drugged driving should be considered one problem to solve together.

Individuals who are involved in car crashes could experience a variety of injuries or even death. An injured victim may be able to seek compensation in a personal injury lawsuit. The family of a victim may pursue a wrongful death case against the person responsible for causing his or her death. An attorney may use physical evidence to show the negligence caused a fatal collision to occur.