Study Looking at NHTSA Data Shows Fentanyl is Road-Safety Problem on the Rise

A new study shows fentanyl is potentially becoming a road-safety problem.

The study, from researchers at Jerry, a car insurance savings app, examined crash, drug test and population data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration between 2018 and 2021.

Findings include:

• The number of drivers who tested positive for fentanyl nearly doubled, up 93% from 2018 (422) to 2021 (815).
• Of all drivers involved in fatal crashes during the timeframe, 3.1% of those who were tested for drugs had fentanyl in their system. The fentanyl positivity rate for drivers who were tested rose from 2% in 2018 to 4% in 2021.
• States on the East Coast dominated the list of highest rates of positive tests for fentanyl among drivers involved in fatal crashes. The rate topped 5% in 12 states. In New Hampshire, 11% of drivers involved in fatal accidents who were tested for drugs were found to be positive for fentanyl, while the same was true for 16% of non-drivers in the same crashes who were tested. Both of those numbers were the highest in the U.S.
• Ohio (207) saw the most fatal crashes involving a fentanyl-positive driver in general —roughly double the number of any other state except California (132). Missouri (109) rounded out the top three states.

The number of people involved in fatal crashes who tested positive for fentanyl remains relatively low. In 2021, more than 10,000 drivers involved in fatal accidents were found to have been drinking, compared with 815 drivers who tested positive for fentanyl.

The study used crash and drug-test data from NHTSA, and population data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The NHTSA began collecting data from states on fentanyl in fatal crashes in 2018. Not all drivers and passengers involved in a fatal crash are tested for drugs.