HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
BLUEPRINT FOR DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS (DUID)
Updated October 2018

What is the problem?

Like the rest of the nation, Hawaii is facing an increase in drug-impaired driving, which
is further exacerbated by medical marijuana, prescription drug abuse and a more
lenient societal view of recreational marijuana use.
THE FACTS
• Drug-related traffic fatalities have been rising in Hawaii.

Hawaii Drug-Related Traffic Fatalities
120
107

102

95

93

52
(43.3%)
34
(33.3%)
2013

32
(33.7%)
2014

34
(36.6%)
2015

Fatalities

2016

39
(36.4%)

2017

Tested positive for drugs
Source: FARS & preliminary state data

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 o In 2013, out of 102 traffic-related fatalities in Hawaii, 34 (or 33.3 percent)
tested positive for having drugs in their systems.
o In 2014, out of 95 traffic-related fatalities in Hawaii, 32 (or 33.7 percent)
tested positive for having drugs in their systems.
o In 2015, out of 93 traffic-related fatalities in Hawaii, 34 (or 36.6 percent)
tested positive for having drugs in their systems.
o In 2016, out of 120 traffic-related fatalities in Hawaii, 52 (or 43.3 percent)
tested positive for having drugs in their systems.
o In 2017, out of 107 traffic-related fatalities in Hawaii, 39 (or 36.4 percent)
tested positive for having drugs in their systems.
•

Hawaii Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data also shows that drug use
amongst our youth is an issue. The following chart highlights the percentage of
youths between the ages of 0 and 19 involved in fatal crashes who tested positive
for having alcohol and/or drugs in their systems.

Alcohol and/or Drug Use Amongst
Hawaii Youths Involved in Fatal Crashes
90

84.6%

80
70

66.7%

66.7%

60%

60

53.8%

50
40
30
20
10
0%

0
2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

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 The following data tables provide more detailed information:

2012

Age
16
19
19
18
18
19
18
17

Driver/Pass/Ped/Bike
Driver
Driver
Driver
Passenger
Passenger
Passenger
Pedestrian
Pedestrian

Alcohol
.07
.12
.12
.16
.34
.02

Drug
Unknown results
THC
None
Meprobamate
None
THC
Other Drug
THC

Deceased Y/N
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes

2013

Age
17
19
19
19
17
16
18

Driver/Pass/Ped/Bike
Driver
Driver
Driver
Driver
Passenger
Passenger
Bicyclist

Alcohol
.33

Drug
Benzoylecgonine
Methylone
Benzoylecgonine
None
THC
THC
Methylone

Deceased Y/N
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes

12/125 fatality
victims were b/w 0
to 19. 6/12 fatalities
had alcohol & or
drugs in their
system. 2 crash
survivors tested +
for alcohol/drugs
(66%)

13/102 fatality
victims were b/w 0
to 19. 7/13 fatalities
had alcohol & or
drugs in their
system. (53.8%)

.17
.08
.22
.05

Methylone is a form of MDMA (Hallucinogen)

2014

Age
18
19
19

Driver/Pass/Ped/Bike
Driver
Driver
Passenger

Alcohol
.12
.34

Drug
THC
None
THC

Deceased Y/N
Yes
Yes
Yes

2015

Age
18
19
18
18
19
19
17
19
17
19
18

Driver/Pass/Ped/Bike
Driver
Driver
Driver
Driver
Passenger
Passenger
Passenger
Pedestrian
Passenger
Passenger
Passenger

Alcohol

Drug
Meth
Diazepam
THC
None
None
None
None
THC
THC
Alprazolam
Bezoylecgonine

Deceased Y/N
No
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes

Drug
MDMA
Meth
THC
Unk. Depressant
None
THC
THC
THC
THC
LSD
THC

Deceased Y/N
No
No
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes

5/95 fatality crash
victims were b/w 0
to 19. 3/5 fatalities
had alcohol & or
drugs in their
system. (60%)

13/93 fatality
victims were b/w 0
to 19. 8/13 fatalities
had alcohol & or
drugs in their
system.
3 crash survivors
tested positive +
alcohol/drugs
(84.6%)

.24
.09
.13
.09
.17
.09
.20

Benzoylecgonine is the main metabolite in cocaine.

2016

12/120 fatality
victims were b/w 0
to 19. 8/12
fatalities had
alcohol & or drugs
in their system
(66%).
3 crash survivors
tested positive +
alcohol/drugs

Age
18
19
17
18
19
19
18
19
19
16
19

Driver/Pass/Ped/Bike
Driver
Driver
Driver
Driver
Driver
Driver
Passenger
Passenger
Pedestrian
Pedestrian
Pedestrian

Alcohol

.02
.26

.10

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 2017*

5/107 fatality
victims were b/w 0
to 19. Of those
tested, none of the
fatalities had
alcohol & or drugs
in their system.

Age

Driver/Pass/Ped/Bike

Alcohol

Drug

Deceased Y/N

15

Driver

Yes

14

Driver

Yes

19

Driver

Yes

2

Passenger

Yes

17

Pedestrian

Yes

* Preliminary state data
Yellow indicates alcohol only.

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 What are our challenges?

MARIJUANA
Hawaii has been a medical marijuana state since 2000. However, medical marijuana
card holders could only grow their own supply of marijuana since Hawaii’s law did not
allow for retail dispensaries. That changed in 2015, when Hawaii’s State Legislature
legalized the opening of medical marijuana production facilities and retail dispensaries
beginning July 15, 2016.
To begin with, eight licenses were awarded to companies interested in operating
production centers and dispensaries – three on Oahu, two licenses each on Maui and
the Big Island; and one license on Kauai. Each licensee is allowed to operate two
production centers and two dispensaries, which means that there may be a total of 16
dispensaries statewide.
According to data from ADLRO, marijuana appears to be the drug of choice amongst
drug-impaired drivers in Hawaii. FARS data paints a similar picture. From 2013
through 2015, out of 272 fatal crashes in Hawaii, 53 (or 19 percent) involved
tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
Based on prior years’ data, the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) expects
these numbers to increase as a result of the opening of the dispensaries and the
availability of medical marijuana products.
In Hawaii, there was a significant increase in marijuana-impaired driving following the
legalization of medical marijuana. According to Hawaii FARS data, during the premedical marijuana period (1991-2000), 4.89 percent of fatally injured drivers tested
positive for having marijuana in their systems. After the medical marijuana program
went into effect, during the post-medical marijuana period (2001-2011), the proportion
of fatally injured drivers who tested positive for THC increased to 14.61 percent.

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 IMPACT OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA IN HAWAII
NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE
OF THC-POSITIVE FATALITIES
Post Medical Marijuana (2001-2011)

THC-POSITIVE FATALLY INJURED DRIVERS

14.61%

4.89%

34

116

Pre Medical Marijuana (1991-2000)

PERCENTAGE THC-POSITIVE FATALLY INJURED
DRIVERS

Source: FARS

We will monitor the effects of the opening of the retail dispensaries. At this time (as of
September 2018), there are six retail dispensaries open in Hawaii – three on Oahu, two
on Maui and one on Kauai.
With more states legalizing recreational use of marijuana, it seems that Hawaii’s
medical marijuana law is just the stepping stone towards the inevitable. Observations
of the marijuana-related legislative bills that have been proposed and heard in recent
years lead the HDOT to conclude that we are moving in that direction.

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 HAWAII’S STATUTES
Hawaii’s OVUII statute (§291E-61 HRS) states that:
A person commits the offense of operating a vehicle under the influence of an
intoxicant if the person operates or assumes actual physical control of a vehicle:
(1)
While under the influence of alcohol in an amount sufficient to impair
the person's normal mental faculties or ability to care for the person
and guard against casualty;
(2)
While under the influence of any drug that impairs the person's ability
to operate the vehicle in a careful and prudent manner;
(3)
With .08 or more grams of alcohol per two hundred ten liters of
breath; or
(4)
With .08 or more grams of alcohol per one hundred milliliters or cubic
centimeters of blood.
However, according to §291E-1 HRS, the definition of “drug” in the OVUII statute
means “any controlled substance, as defined and enumerated in schedules I through IV
of chapter 329, or its metabolites.” As a result, the OVUII statute does not apply to
drivers impaired on substances not included in the schedules, such as kava and new
synthetic drugs. This is especially problematic if Hawaii’s legislators decide to remove
THC from the schedules.

LIMITED DATA
Although Hawaii has been taking steps to improve collection of drugged driving data,
we are still limited by obstacles that are out of control, such as interpretations of and
compliance with the mandatory blood draw law. To measure impacts, progression
and/or regression, our State needs to first collect meaningful data to be used as
baselines, and then collect data to be measured against those baselines. There is also a
need for data analysis to turn the raw data into “usable data” that is essential for
problem identification and evaluation of strategies.

LIMITED FUNDING
At this time, federal funding from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) is the primary source of funding used to support much of Hawaii’s driving
under the influence of drugs (DUID) initiatives, including travel to Drug Recognition
Expert (DRE) training on Oahu for neighbor island law enforcement officers.
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 County police departments use their own funding for certain trainings like the
Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) trainings and for forensic
toxicology testing for drugged driving cases.
Limited funding restricts Hawaii’s traffic safety partners from pursuing strategies and
conducting activities to combat impaired driving.
Restrictions on federal funding is another roadblock we must contend with. Like other
states, Hawaii is only allowed to utilize Section 154 and 164 penalty transfer funds for
alcohol-impaired driving initiatives. This current restriction should be lifted to allow
states to use the funds to combat impaired driving, whether it’s alcohol or drug related,
based on data-driven problem identification.

NO STATE LAB
Hawaii’s isolation from the U.S. mainland, existing statutes and judicial system all
contribute to the urgent need for a State forensic toxicology lab. Currently, Clinical
Laboratories of Hawaii, a privately contracted lab, conducts all analyses of OVUIIalcohol and OVUII-drugs urine samples for Maui, Kauai and Hawaii counties. The
Honolulu Police Department has its own county lab that tests OVUII-alcohol urine and
blood samples. All blood samples for drug testing from all counties are sent to Clinical
Labs, who then sends them to Central Valley Diagnostic Lab in California. Under
Hawaii’s current OVUII statute, toxicology results must be submitted to ADLRO within
eight days for OVUII-alcohol cases and within 22 days for OVUII-drugs cases. Noncompliance with this results in dismissals. In criminal court, the costs associated with
bringing in lab personnel to testify gets costly, especially if the samples are sent to a
mainland laboratory and cases are continued.
The presence of a comprehensive forensic toxicology lab – that tests all types of samples
and includes an extensive panel of drugs tested – within the State will help to alleviate a
majority of these issues. However, the costs to establish and maintain a new State lab
are prohibitive, and the responsibilities associated with operating the lab are daunting.
ADJUDICATION ISSUES
• There needs to be increased prosecution of DRE cases
• There needs to be annual training for judges, prosecutors and other stakeholders
to be updated on current trends and common misconceptions
• Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) is not being admitted into courts

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 So what are we going to do about it?

A LIVING DOCUMENT
This blueprint is a “living document,” intended to be continuously reviewed and
updated as trends and circumstances change. It is meant to be used as a guide for all
partners, adapting the strategies to their unique expertise, challenges and resources, to
achieve progress in successfully addressing the problem of drug-impaired driving.

AREAS OF CONCENTRATION
Hawaii is taking a multi-faceted, holistic approach to address the ultimate issue of
impaired driving. As such, partnerships are key to implementing strategies and
achieving progress. We have broken down our strategies into three main areas:
1) Prevention, Education and Communication
2) Enforcement/Adjudication
3) Post-Adjudication
Each of these three areas will tackle issues specific to their fields, but there are
consistent topics that span all sections, including training, education, funding,
legislation, and policy. Of course, partnerships and collaborations amongst the three
areas are also essential.

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 PREVENTION, EDUCATION & COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES
STRATEGIES
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

Conduct educational marketing research
Increase public awareness and education on drugged driving (legal and illegal)
Educate legislators on the dangers and consequences of drugged driving
Develop programs and continue to support best practices, focusing on educating
young drivers, families and at-risk groups
Identify funding sources and apply for funding
Implement widespread and comprehensive educational initiatives to address
drug-impaired driving
Establish and maintain partnerships to increase drugged driving awareness
within the communities, the private business sector and other industries within
Hawaii

STRATEGY #1: Conduct educational marketing research
1a
Identify communication messages to combat the common misperception that
users drive better/safer when under the influence of marijuana and that marijuana
is safe. “I drive slower, so it must be safer.” “It allows me to concentrate better,
so I am a better driver.” “No one has ever died from smoking marijuana.”
1b
Assess local application of non-accusatory but strictly informative public
education campaign like Colorado’s “Good to Know” campaign
1c
Develop “Drive High Get a DUI” public education campaign like Washington
State and Colorado
1d
Conduct marketing surveys/focus groups to develop public education messaging
(different segments of the population may react differently to different
messaging)
1e
Collaborate with appropriate agencies to obtain correct data to combat common
misconceptions

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 1f

Conduct surveys in Judiciary Driver Education program for convicted OVUII
offenders
• Initial progress on survey of students on cannabis use; findings include:
o 19-61 ages
o Mostly recreational use
o Majority grow their own cannabis
o If purchase, mostly from dealer
o Do not believe impairs driving
o First time use was 14-16 years old
• Future surveys should include questions asking young adults where they
hear about drugs; where they get their news from (social media, radio,
word of mouth, etc.); and what they believe to be credible sources of
information

STRATEGY #2: Increase public awareness and education on drugged driving (legal and
illegal)
2a
Gather existing educational resources from various agencies (Coalition for a
Drug-Free Hawaii, NHTSA, etc.)
• MADD Conference
• TLC PR-developed prescription drug flyer; distribute to pharmacist
groups
2b
Identify agencies that can implement action items [DOH Alcohol & Drug Abuse
Division (ADAD), Judiciary Driver Education Program, etc.]
2c
Identify appropriate groups and agencies to disseminate message that driving
after ingesting drugs, whether illicit, prescription or over the counter, is a safety
risk that can amount to a violation of the law
2d
Develop a webinar to be used by state and county agencies to train supervisors on
basic detection of drug impairment (webinar may also be used for private
companies in the future)
2e
Utilize Hawaii Partnership to Prevent Underage Drinking’s (HPPUD) Youth
Council, National Prevention Week and social media to expand reach
2f
Partner with local businesses to provide traffic safety and DUID education and
awareness to supervisors and employees

STRATEGY #3: Educate legislators on the dangers and consequences of drugged driving
3a
Prepare a motor vehicle crash study using fatal data from FARS and toxicology
data from the Emergency Departments
3b
Develop a “Day in the Trauma Bay” walk-through experience at Queen’s Medical
Center, with a mock scenario of blood draw issues

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 STRATEGY #4: Develop programs and continue to support best practices, focusing on
educating young drivers, families and at-risk groups
4a
Survey existing programs and local resources through HPPUD, Coalition for a
Drug-Free Hawaii, NHTSA, etc.
4b
Provide training to teachers and driver’s education instructors to recognize
alcohol and other drug impairment
4c
Promote programs such as the Drug Impairment Training for Educational
Professionals (DITEP) to help educators detect drug impairment in students
4d
Include drugged driving in driver education, high school programming and
employer programs
4e
Get youth involved and engaged

STRATEGY #5: Identify funding sources and apply for funding
5a
Partner with Neurotrauma Fund Board of Directors
5b
Tap into marijuana-related funds that have been legislatively appropriated for
public safety education campaigns

STRATEGY #6: Implement widespread and comprehensive educational initiatives to address
drug-impaired driving
6a
Partnerships and collaboration between DOH, HDOT, Department of Public
Safety and other law enforcement agencies to develop public education
campaigns
6b
Partnerships with Hawaii’s medical marijuana industry and retail dispensaries to
provide education materials and information on personal responsibility and
public safety to their clientele
6c
Partnerships with local businesses to provide drugged driving and drug
impairment trainings to their supervisors and employees
6d
Partnerships with local government agencies to provide drugged driving and
drug impairment training to their supervisors and employees
6e
Request that police departments mention in sobriety checkpoint news releases,
media statements, social media placements and local stories that specially trained
drug detection officers will be working the checkpoints
6f
Request that police departments mention possible involvement of drugs in fatal
crash news releases and reports to the media, just like how they notate that speed,
alcohol, helmet use and seat belt use may be factors in a crash
6g
Publicize Legacy Checkpoints

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 STRATEGY #7: Establish and maintain partnerships to increase drugged driving awareness
within the communities, the private business sector and other industries within Hawaii
7a
Provide training to the community, including medical staff, emergency medical
services technicians, etc. to recognize alcohol and other drug impairment
7b
Establish and maintain partnerships within Hawaii’s visitor industry to educate
key decision makers and stakeholders (Hawaii Tourism Authority, Hawaii
Lodging & Tourism Association, Hawaii Visitors Convention Bureau, cruise ship
operators, etc.)
• Educate on the potential consequences of marijuana legalization; impacts
to meetings and conventions business
• Educate visitors on the dos and don’ts of ingesting and transporting
marijuana (illegal to transport interisland and out of state; permissible
locations to consume cannabis; reciprocity rules; drugged driving laws;
etc.)
7c
Establish and maintain partnerships with homeless advocates to educate on the
impacts of marijuana legalization and to provide safeguards for impaired,
homeless pedestrians
7d
Build upon existing partnerships amongst organizations such as MADD, HPPUD,
DTRIC Insurance, Hawaii’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan, State Highway Safety
Council, Impaired Driving Task Force, Coalition for a Drug-Free Hawaii, DOH,
law enforcement agencies, prosecutors’ offices and the Department of the
Attorney General
7e
Expand partnerships to include other community coalitions; Department of
Education; AAA Hawaii; local hospitals and clinics; medical marijuana
dispensaries; Hawaii Bicycling League; People’s Advocacy for Trails Hawaii
(PATH); local colleges and universities; local churches; treatment centers; national
organizations such as Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM); etc.
7f
Look for opportunities to publicly recognize outstanding individuals and
organizations that have contributed to the prevention and awareness of DUID

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 ENFORCEMENT/ADJUDICATION STRATEGIES
STRATEGIES
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14

Enact policies and laws to support effective enforcement and prosecution of drugimpaired driving
Research a process to provide funding to county law enforcement and substance
abuse prevention and treatment programs
Explore solutions to current barriers to DUID adjudication
Enhance the Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor (TSRP) program in Hawaii
Improve upon prosecution of DUID cases
Establish a state lab
Improve upon and continue high visibility sobriety checkpoints and media
campaigns
Improve the quality of the DRE program in Hawaii
Improve awareness of drugged driving and provide specialized training for police
and prosecutors
Educate judges on drugged driving, the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests, the
DRE process and validation studies
Incorporate drugged driving training into CDL/CMV-related initiatives
Improve upon data collection to meet data needs
Maintain ongoing communication between DRE Agency Coordinators/DREs and
toxicologists
Improve upon the use of effective and efficient methods to detect and/or measure
the level of impairment of a driver under the influence of drugs

STRATEGY #1: Enact policies and laws to support effective enforcement and prosecution of
drug-impaired driving
1a
Change OVUII statute to expand the definition of drugs to include non-controlled
substances
1b
Enact legislation for increased penalties for driving under the combined influence
of alcohol and drug
1c
Enact legislation to make it unlawful for a person who is addicted to the use of
any drug to drive a vehicle
1d
Enact open container legislation for marijuana
1e
Establish a zero tolerance law for all drugs for drivers under the age of 21

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 STRATEGY #2: Research a process to provide funding to county law enforcement and
substance abuse prevention and treatment programs
2a
Enact legislation to appropriate a percentage of marijuana-related taxes to be used
towards drugged driving-related enforcement, training (DRE, ARIDE, DITEP,
etc.) and treatment

STRATEGY #3: Explore solutions to current barriers to DUID adjudication
3a
Enhance conviction rate by improving witness attendance in OVUII cases
3b
Increase conviction rate by reducing refusals
3c
Re-evaluate procedures related to Administrative Driver’s License Revocation,
and improve ADLRO documentation and communication
• Streamline processes
• Reduce the amount of paperwork, if possible
3d
Develop a search warrant system (electronic search warrant would be ideal)
3e
Continue to encourage compliance of the mandatory blood draw law
3f
Funding for expert witnesses for all impaired driving cases

STRATEGY #4: Enhance the Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor (TSRP) program in Hawaii
4a
Encourage all prosecutors and officers to utilize the TSRP as a resource
4b
Expand duties and roles of Hawaii’s TSRPs
4c
Increase awareness of the TSRP program and its availability as a resource to
officers, prosecutors and other traffic safety partners statewide

STRATEGY #5: Improve upon prosecution of DUID cases
5a
Increase the filing and prosecution of DUID cases
5b
Encourage prosecutors to conduct pre-trial meetings and conferences with expert
witnesses (DREs and toxicologists)
5c
Set up a phone conference with the toxicology expert as early as possible. Send
any information/comments/etc. regarding statements of drug ingestion. Share the
officer’s observations of the defendant’s driving and behavior. When possible,
obtain prescription records for the defendant to assist the toxicologist in their
evaluations of the case.
5d
Initiate grants to counties for prosecutors dedicated to DUID vertical prosecution
to work DUID cases from arrest through sentencing

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 STRATEGY #6: Establish a state lab
6a
Estimate current toxicology testing and adjudication costs to law enforcement
agencies and prosecutors
6b
Estimate budget to establish and maintain a state lab
6c
Enact legislation to support and fund a state lab

STRATEGY #7: Improve upon and continue high visibility sobriety checkpoints and media
campaigns
7a
Recommend that there be at least one DRE- or ARIDE-trained officer present at
roadblocks

STRATEGY #8: Improve the quality of the DRE program in Hawaii
8a
Establish Hawaii DRE Advisory Committee
8b
Streamline and standardize procedures
8c
Solicit support from police chiefs and other law enforcement agency leadership
• Educate heads of law enforcements agencies and their command staff on
how they can utilize a DRE’s skills, either calling a DRE into their
investigations or having a certified DRE on their team
8d
Promote the use of DREs in more areas, such as in non-traffic criminal
investigations, vehicular homicide cases and in crash reconstruction
8e
Establish agency policy to have DRE officers present at serious injury and fatal
crash scenes, vehicular assaults and vehicular homicides to help with on-scene
investigations
8f
Coordinate with law enforcement agencies on the development of an on-call
response protocol for the investigation of fatal and serious injury crashes
8g
Motivate DREs to conduct more enforcement evaluations
8h
Increase the statewide average number of enforcement evaluations per year per
DRE
• Include as performance measure in impaired driving grants
8i
Share DRE officers as a resource between jurisdictions and agencies
• Implement DRE call-out procedures in each agency and county wide. For
example, if no DRE is available from the Sheriff Division on Oahu, HPD or
NSA may be called upon to assist.
8j
Determine how to retain DREs
8k
Incorporate substance abuse treatment recommendations and counseling as part
of DRE Certification Nights

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 STRATEGY #9: Improve awareness of drugged driving and provide specialized training for
police and prosecutors
9a
Encourage courtroom training
9b
Increase frequency and number of ARIDE trainings statewide
9c
Develop a mentorship and “DUI Bootcamp” for all new deputy prosecutors
handling impaired driving cases, to include:
• SFST or SFST Refresher training
• ARIDE
• Alcohol workshop
• DRE-related training (DRE School, DRE in-service, etc.)
• DRE Certification Night
• Ride along
• Mini mock trial
9d
Educate prosecutors on expert testimony and scientific evidence, including how
to establish a DRE’s background and qualify such an individual to give expert
testimony in court, how to conduct a proper examination of a toxicologist, and
how to read a toxicology report
9e
Conduct “report writing” and “testifying in court” training for drug-impaired
driving cases (officers need to know how to adequately describe “objective signs
of impairment” – much different from alcohol-impaired driving cases)
9f
Create partnerships and cross trainings within the law enforcement agencies
• Work with Vice/Narcotics units in law enforcement agencies to educate
Traffic Division officers on the latest drugs on the streets, slang,
paraphernalia, etc.
• Educate Vice Narcotics on the benefits of DREs to their investigations
• Urge law enforcement agencies to require their vehicular homicide unit
officers to attend ARIDE
9g
Continue to update law enforcement and prosecutors on drug trends, OVUII,
equipment changes, etc.
9h
Train law enforcement in conducting search warrants
9i
Incorporate toxicology strategies into Hawaii’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan;
impaired driving committees and task forces; and prosecutor trainings (in-service,
legal updates, etc.)

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 STRATEGY #10: Educate judges on drugged driving, SFSTs, the DRE process and validation
studies
10a
Ride alongs, DRE Certification Nights, alcohol workshops, visit to ER, real life
experiences
10b
Recommend to National Judicial College to include alcohol workshops in
trainings to judges
10c
Continue to update judges on drug trends, OVUII, equipment changes, etc.

STRATEGY #11: Incorporate drugged driving training into CDL/CMV-related initiatives
11a
Implement programs such as “Operation Trucker Check” in Oregon, where DREs
check CMV drivers at port of entry

STRATEGY #12: Improve upon data collection to meet data needs
12a
Establish statewide court monitoring program to provide data on OVUII trial
results
12b
Track annually statewide:
• OVUII-alcohol only arrests
• OVUII-drug only arrests
• OVUII-alcohol and drug combination arrests
12c
Incorporate toxicology results into crash analysis
12d
Work with agencies (DOH, Judiciary, ADLRO, HDOT, law enforcement,
prosecutors, etc.) on collecting better drugged driving-related data

STRATEGY #13: Maintain ongoing communication between DRE Agency
Coordinators/DREs and toxicologists
13a
Encourage DREs to submit their face sheets to the lab
13b
Conduct a State BAC and Drug Testing and Reporting Forum to better
understand testing, reporting, clarifying roles, and uncover and solve problems
13c
Invite toxicologists to attend and teach at DRE/ARIDE trainings to provide
additional toxicology information

STRATEGY #14: Improve upon the use of effective and efficient methods to detect and/or
measure the level of impairment of a driver under the influence of drugs
14a
Investigate the possibility of using oral fluid drug screening devices to test for
drugs in the field (will require legislation and other special approvals)

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 POST-ADJUDICATION STRATEGIES
STRATEGIES
1
2

3
4

5

Identify and utilize current and new funding sources for drug abuse treatment
and substance abuse treatment programs
Increase effectiveness of OVUII laws by researching correctional responses (e.g.,
probation, DWI Court Program) that enhance a reduction in recidivism and
supporting those methods
Enact rules or legislation imposing sanctions or consequences for non-compliance
of Judiciary Driver Education-referred assessment/treatment
Research existing best practices and current legislation in other states to enact
similar legislation for enhanced penalties for offenders driving illegally after
license has been revoked due to OVUII and driving without a license
Support efforts by ADAD to monitor and tighten selection and oversight of
Certified Substance Abuse Counselors (CSAC) regarding the assessment process

STRATEGY #1: Identify and utilize current and new funding sources for drug abuse
treatment and substance abuse treatment programs
1a
Enact legislation for a special assessment fee to be used as a funding source for
substance abuse prevention and treatment programs
1b
Tap into medical marijuana funds that have been legislatively appropriated for
substance abuse prevention and education programs

STRATEGY #2: Increase effectiveness of OVUII laws by researching correctional responses
(e.g., probation, DWI Court Program) that enhance a reduction in recidivism and supporting
those methods
2a
Enact legislation to fund and establish a permanent DWI Court on Oahu (DWI
Court is currently a pilot program)
2b
Utilize Oahu’s DWI Court program as a model to establish DWI Courts in the
other counties

STRATEGY #3: Enact rules or legislation imposing sanctions or consequences for noncompliance of Judiciary Driver Education-referred assessment/treatment
3a
Prepare draft bill proposals for future legislative sessions

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 STRATEGY #4: Research existing best practices and current legislation in other states to enact
similar legislation for enhanced penalties for offenders driving illegally after license has been
revoked due to OVUII and driving without a license
4a
Consult with national agencies and traffic safety partners to compile a list of best
practices and learned lessons from other states

STRATEGY #5: Support efforts by ADAD to monitor and tighten selection and oversight of
Certified Substance Abuse Counselors (CSAC) regarding the assessment process
5a
Partnership between ADAD and Judiciary Driver Education to create an
application process and get buy-in from CSACs
5b
Create partnerships between ADAD, HDOT, FMCSA, etc. to provide CSACs as a
resource for CDL/CMV drivers
5c
Incorporate CSACs, Judiciary Driver Education Division and ADAD into
impaired driving task forces, committees and trainings

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 Next Steps

There is much to be done to ensure that Hawaii’s roadways are free of drug-impaired
drivers, but this blueprint will serve as a guide for all partners to work collaboratively
and effectively.
To ensure that our state continues to move forward to combat this preventable problem
plaguing our roads, all of Hawaii’s traffic safety partners (including the obvious
partners and the not-so-obvious partners) must revisit the blueprint often to:
•
•
•

Track progress;
Evaluate programs for effectiveness; and
Adjust, add and/or revise strategies and action items, as necessary.

If you have any ideas or suggestions to further expand and enhance the blueprint,
please contact Karen Kahikina in the Hawaii Department of Transportation’s Highway
Safety Section via e-mail at Karen.G.Kahikina@hawaii.gov.

Resources
Ideas, strategies and action items from other resources were considered; customized to
apply to Hawaii’s needs and culture; and incorporated into this blueprint. These
resources include:
•
•
•
•
•

NHTSA’s “Countermeasures That Work;”
Governors Highway Safety Association’s “Drug-Impaired Driving Guide;”
Hawaii’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan;
Hawaii’s Impaired Driving Task Force Strategic Plan; and
The Hawaii Opioid Action Plan

Ideas were also generated during brainstorming sessions amongst Hawaii’s traffic
safety partners and as a result of attendance at national conferences, such as the
Lifesavers Conference; International Association of Chiefs of Police’s Training
Conference on Drugs, Alcohol and Impaired Driving; and NHTSA Region 9 Partners
and Leadership Training.
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 Acronyms Guide
This glossary provides a quick reference to the terms, acronyms and abbreviations used
in this Hawaii DUID Blueprint.
ADAD .............................DOH’s Alcohol & Drug Abuse Division
ADLRO ...........................Administrative Driver’s License Revocation Office
ARIDE .............................Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement
BAC .................................Blood Alcohol Concentration
CDL .................................Commercial Driver’s License
CMV ................................Commercial Motor Vehicle
CSAC...............................Certified Substance Abuse Counselor
CY ....................................Calendar year
DITEP ..............................Drug Impairment Training for Educational
Professionals
DOH ................................Hawaii State Department of Health
DRE .................................Drug Recognition Expert
DUI ..................................Driving Under the Influence
DUID ...............................Driving Under the Influence of Drugs
DWI .................................Driving While Intoxicated
FARS ...............................Fatality Analysis Reporting System
FMCSA ...........................Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
GHSA ..............................Governors Highway Safety Association
HDOT .............................Hawaii Department of Transportation
HGN ................................Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus
HPPUD ...........................Hawaii Partnership to Prevent Underage Drinking
HRS .................................Hawaii Revised Statutes
IDTF ................................Impaired Driving Task Force
MADD ............................Mothers Against Drunk Driving
NHTSA ...........................National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
OVUII ..............................Operating a Vehicle Under the Influence of an
Intoxicant
PATH ..............................People’s Advocacy for Trails Hawaii
SAM.................................Smart Approaches to Marijuana
SFST.................................Standardized Field Sobriety Test
SHSP................................Strategic Highway Safety Plan
THC .................................Tetrahydrocannabinol
TSRP ................................Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor
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