Kentucky Considering Roadside Drug Tests for Drivers

The Kentucky Office of Highway Safety is working with local county officials to evaluate a roadside drug test that could help police address the growing number of drivers who are high behind the wheel.

The agency and authorities in Louisville, Paducah and Madison County are partnering to test portable kits police officers could eventually carry into the field to test drivers for controlled substances, The Courier-Journal reported.

Kits include a mouth swab and screen device that can analyze saliva samples for up to 10 drugs.

If the tests prove reliable, lawmakers say they will consider legislation next year to expand their use.

Mike Schwendau, assistant director of Highway Safety Programs, said police might soon use the swab kits in the same way they rely on roadside breath tests to identify drunken drivers.

“We just want to find another tool for law enforcement to help make better decisions and more accurate decisions … and to remove hazards off the road,” said Schwendau.

However, Larry Forman, a Louisville defense attorney who specializes in impaired driving cases, said the tests could lead to invasive searches or give officers false pretense for arrests.

“They are chipping away at our rights – I just don’t know how else to put it,” Forman said.

According to Kentucky State Police, authorities suspected that drugs were a factor in nearly 1,600 traffic collisions across the state last year, resulting in 939 injuries and 214 deaths.