The number of drugged driving accidents has increased by 25% in the past four years.
Brunswick Police Officer Joe Ceccacci is a drug recognition expert. He was among the first in the state to go through the program five years ago and was one of just a handful of police officers in Northeast Ohio trained to detect drugged drivers.
As the problem continued to increase, there are now a couple of dozen specially trained officers. Drivers are aware of drunk driving said Ceccacci but many are not aware that taking drugs could impair driving.
Ceccacci said there is a 12 step test to determine what kind of drug the driver took. The tests happen after a driver is arrested. The tests include walking a line, standing on one leg, and the finger to nose test but there is much more. "We do clinical stuff, blood pressure, pulse rate on three different occasions" said Ceccacci
"It makes an impact to take someone off the road who is impaired," added Ceccacci. "By removing one impaired driver, I've saved a life. Their life or I've taken them off the road before they hurt someone else," said Ceccacci.
