CHP Seeing Increase In Truckers Driving High
TAHOE (CBS13) — Trucker Niko Martinez takes his job seriously and said he was surprised by a recent CHP Facebook post.
The CHP donner Pass office says it's seeing a growing number of commercial drivers using marijuana and getting behind the wheel.
"They think they can smoke marijuana or eat the edibles and drive. But the thing is if you're under the influence you're going to get arrested," said Josh McDonald, CHP.
The CHP doesn't have data, but says it's starting to see a trend. The Donner Pass office recently made a Facebook post showing a trucker's dog, now in the hands of animal control, because the driver was arrrested for DUI, accused of using marijuana and driving.
"In this case of the last driver, it was pretty easy. He came in and smelled like marijuana a lot. And he admitted to smoking marijuana 20 to 30 minutes prior to entering the facility," said McDonald.
"These people are morons. As you can clearly see we drive a big rig tractor trailer 18 wheeler. It's not time to be messing around. You got to be clean and sober all the time," said truck driver Niko Martinez.
Under federal law, possessing marijuana in a commercial truck is illegal. Even though you can use marijuana in some states including California, using marijuana and driving is against the law in all states.
Some truckers say, when you have 80,000 pounds of rig in your hands, you need to be fully in control at all times.
"You got to be on your p's and q's. This job ain't no joke," said Martinez