The second phase of Michigan State Police’s roadside drug testing begins on Tuesday, Oct. 1.
The Oral Fluid Roadside Analysis Pilot Program calls for drivers that police suspect might be impaired by controlled substances to provide a mouth swab so their saliva can be tested. The test can detect cannabis (delta 9 THC), opiates, cocaine, amphetamines, methamphetamines, and benzodiazepines.
This rollout follows a year-long pilot program that was instilled after instances of crashes with fatal outcomes consistently increased over the last few years: There were 236 traffic deaths that involved drugs in 2016, and 247 in 2018.…