“Dangerous Combinations” — CDOT’s New Drugged Driving Campaign

May 17, 2016 - Traffic Safety - STATEWIDE — The Colorado Department of Transportation’s (CDOT) new drugged driving awareness campaign — “Dangerous Combinations” — sends a simple and honest message: driving high is dangerous and illegal.

The new creative campaign launched this week and features videos and striking visuals to raise awareness that driving high can lead to serious consequences. CDOT is also working with dispensaries statewide to place educational posters and rolling papers to reach users right where they purchase marijuana.

To view and download campaign creative and images of CDOT’s “Slow Speed Chase” awareness tactic, visit bit.ly/druggeddriving2016.

In a self-reported survey conducted last year by CDOT, 55 percent of marijuana users drove high an average of seven days per month. And according to the Colorado State Patrol, so far this year, nearly one out of every five DUIs in Colorado involves marijuana.

“CDOT wants marijuana users to understand that driving high has the same implications as driving drunk,” said Sam Cole, Safety Communications Manager at CDOT. “Driving high impairs your reaction time and vision, both of which are vital to driving safely.”

In addition to the creative campaign, CDOT is set to reintroduce the “Slow-Speed Chase” on May 21 at rescheduled 420 Rally at Civic Center Park. The guerilla-marketing tactic uses two vehicles that simulate a slow-speed police chase. The lead car will be decorated in a marijuana leaf motif and the second resembles a police cruiser, and both feature safety messaging about marijuana use.

CDOT will continue to address all forms of impaired driving, including alcohol, drugs and prescription medication, to decrease crashes and fatalities on Colorado roads. CDOT urges marijuana users to arrange safe transportation any time they choose to consume.

This creative campaign is part of CDOT’s larger Drive High, Get a DUI campaign to reduce the number of drug-related DUIs, traffic crashes and fatalities in Colorado. For more information on marijuana impaired driving, visit DriveHighDUI.com.