Connecticut officials are warning drivers not to get behind the wheel after drinking or using drugs this holiday season.
“We take this seriously,” said Commissioner Ronnell Higgins of the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP). “If you are caught, you will be arrested, you will be presented for prosecution, which means you're going to have to appear before a judge in the state of Connecticut. I don't know how clear I can be: don't do it.”
The messaging comes as Connecticut’s state forensic lab says impaired drivers are increasingly testing positive for driving under the influence of alcohol and multiple types of drugs.
“Over the last two years, the forensic lab has seen an increase in the number of designer drugs, such as fentanyl analogs and benzodiazepines, in impaired driving samples submitted to the lab,” said Dr. Jessica Gleba, director of operations at the lab. “What stands out is it’s not simply alcohol combined with one drug. We are seeing multiple drugs used together, and often combined with alcohol.”
Gleba said in addition to prescription and illicit drugs, more impaired drivers are being found to have been under the influence of animal tranquilizers.
According to DESPP, in 2025, 14% of samples from impaired drivers tested positive for the presence of 10 or more drugs. 50% of samples tested positive for the presence of five or more drugs.
“The data you heard today from Dr. Gleba is frankly disturbing,” said Col. Daniel Loughman, commanding officer of the Connecticut State Police. “More drivers are combining alcohol with one or more powerful drugs, often without fully understanding the implications of how dangerous that can be. When someone gets behind the wheel when they're drunk or drugged, they're putting themselves, their passengers, and everyone around them at risk.”
Officials said impairment is a factor in many fatal crashes.
“Nearly 40% of traffic deaths in Connecticut involve an impaired driver,” said Joe Cristalli Jr., director of the Highway Safety Office at the state Department of Transportation. “Over recent years, Connecticut has ranked among the highest states nationally for the percentage of fatalities involving an impaired driver. For a small state, that is ridiculous. These deaths are preventable.”
