MENU
SEARCHThe House Appropriations Committee makes the recommendation in a report accompanying a major spending bill.
Photo by Kathrin Tausch via Wikimedia Commons.
Photo by Kathrin Tausch via Wikimedia Commons.
The House Appropriations Committee has recommended directing federal safety regulators to research methods for detecting marijuana-impaired driving.
The recommendation is included in a committee report aimed at explaining the budgetary needs addressed in the fiscal year 2017 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) funding bill.
Committee members on May 24 passed the legislation allocating $58.2 billion in discretionary spending to the Department of Transportation, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and other related agencies.
The bill includes $918.3 million in total funding for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation. That’s an increase of $49 million over the fiscal year 2016 amount.
In the bill’s accompanying report, the committee recommends that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration work in coordination with the National Institute on Drug Abuse and other related agencies to study methods for detecting marijuana-impaired driving.
The report calls for research on “devices capable of measuring marijuana levels in motor vehicle operators, impairment standards research for driving under the influence of marijuana, methods to differentiate the cause of driving impairment between alcohol and marijuana, state-based policies on marijuana impaired driving, and the role and extent of marijuana impairment in motor vehicle accidents.”
The research proposal drew praise from the insurance industry.
“Prompt action by NHTSA to conduct a study on marijuana-impaired driving is a critical step that could lead to reducing fatalities on the road,” said Nat Wienecke, senior vice president of federal government relations at the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America.
Wienecke praised both Appropriations THUD Subcommittee Chairman Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) and Vice Chairman Kevin Yoder (R-KS) for including the study recommendation in the report.
Distracted driving remains one of the most persistent risks in fleet operations. New approaches focus on removing mobile device use entirely while adding real-time safety support.
Read More →
As distraction risks evolve, fleets are turning to smarter, more connected technologies to better understand what’s happening behind the wheel. Part 2 explores how these tools are helping identify risky behaviors and improve visibility across operations.
Read More →
What fleets capture to improve safety can also expose them in litigation, forcing leaders to rethink how data is managed, stored, and shared.
Read More →
Distracted driving is often measured by what we can see—phones in hand, eyes off the road. But what about the distractions we can’t? A recent incident raises a bigger question about awareness, attention, and why subtle risks so often go unnoticed.
Read More →
While serious crashes are declining, a rise in minor incidents and ongoing risk hotspots underscore the need for continued fleet safety investment.
Read More →
Fleets have more driver data than ever, so why isn't behavior changing? Training requires more than reports and coaching — it requires real-world practice.
Read More →
A two-part conversation with Stefan Heck on how AI is transforming the fight against distracted driving. As fleets adopt smarter tools, the focus shifts from reacting to preventing risk. In Part 1, we look at where AI is making an impact for fleets today.
Read More →
More people on foot means more risk for drivers. These pedestrian safety tips can help prevent serious injuries and keep everyone safer on the road.
Read More →
Safer crews. Fewer incidents. Better uptime. Learn how driver-assist technology is changing the way vocational fleets operate.
Read More →
An 11% drop in pedestrian fatalities in early 2025 signals progress in U.S. road safety, but elevated death rates and ongoing risks underscore the need for continued action from fleets and policymakers.
Read More →
