WHEREAS, Alcohol, over-the-counter and prescription drugs, and illegal drugs can impair driving. Alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs slow down coordination, judgment, and reaction times, which can impair the ability to drive; cocaine and methamphetamine can make drivers more aggressive and reckless; using two or more drugs at the same time, including alcohol, can amplify the impairing effects of each drug; and some prescription and over-the-counter medications can cause extreme drowsiness, dizziness, and other side effects; and

WHEREAS, According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, 43.6 percent of fatally injured drivers in 2016 tested positive for drugs, with over one-half of those drivers testing positive for two or more drugs; and

WHEREAS, According to the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, in 2018, 20,500,000 people 16 years of age or older drove under the influence of alcohol in the past year, and 12,600,000 drove under the influence of illicit drugs; and

WHEREAS, Every day, about 28 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes, or one person every 52 minutes; and

WHEREAS, Each year, more than 10,000 people in the United States die in crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver; in fact, in 2019, there were 10,142 drunk-driving-related fatalities, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; and

WHEREAS, According to the California 2017 Annual Report of Fatal and Injury Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes, there were 18,987 alcohol-involved injury crashes; and

WHEREAS, Between 2009 and 2018, a total of 9,288 people were killed in vehicle crashes involving alcohol-impaired driving in California alone; and

WHEREAS, That in 2017 alone in California, there were 1,167 deaths from alcohol-involved vehicle crashes, equating to 3.2 people dying each day; and

WHEREAS, In 2019, the number of alcohol-related vehicle fatalities in California finally dipped below 1,000; and

WHEREAS, The financial costs for a driving under the influence (DUI) conviction is over $5,000, which does not include the increased costs in automobile insurance; and

WHEREAS, The consequences resulting from a DUI conviction are, on average: 3 months for adults and 12 months for teens with a suspended license; 6 months in jail; three years on probation; 6 months in DUI classes; several months in court hearings; and possible lifetime imprisonment for a murder conviction; now, therefore, be it