Community Focus: Teaching students the risks of driving high
EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Alcohol and marijuana are the two substances most often involved in fatal traffic accidents where a driver is impaired.
This makes the results of a new study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety all the more concerning: Of the 2,000 cannabis users surveyed, more than half of them get behind the wheel of a car within one hour of consuming the substance.
While recreational cannabis usage is legal in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, driving while high is not.
AAA Northeast's Jillian Young joined 12 News at 4 to talk about 'Shifting Gears: The Blunt Truth About Marijuana and Driving,' a free program for high school health classes that aims to break down misconceptions students have about driving while high.
To learn more about the program, visit the Shifting Gears page on AAA Northeast's website.
Shifting Gears: The Blunt Truth About Marijuana and Driving
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Buzz Feed
10 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
Deadly Vacation Mistake You Might Be Making
Whether you're walking around Disney World, swimming in the ocean or taking a mountain trip, it's needless to say that many vacations — while tons of fun — can also be tiresome. After packing in as much as possible on your days off, exhaustion may set in as you rush back home to prepare for going back to work or school. It's important to be aware of a danger that comes with this: drowsy driving. Defined as driving while sleepy, it's more common than you think. According to a Centers for Disease Control survey, about 1 in 25 adult drivers reported falling asleep while driving within the past 30 days. According to a study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 21% of fatal crashes involved a drowsy driver. So, while you may feel like you're in control and can keep yourself awake, remember that probably everyone in that situation also felt the same. Tiredness can affect your mind and ability to drive in a slew of ways, too, so there's no one way in which an accident will happen. According to Susan Miller, a lead researcher and certified sleep expert at being sleepy can impair your judgment and decision-making, reduce awareness of your surroundings (from cars to road conditions to traffic signals), and affect your coordination, balance and fine motor skills. 'Even a momentary lapse of attention can be dangerous while driving, so prioritizing safety is important,' she added. Jeff Kahn, a sleep expert and the CEO and co-founder of Rise Science, agreed. ' Microsleeps, in particular, are a cause for alarm, as they can last only a few seconds and occur unknowingly,' he said. 'While this might not seem like much, on a highway traveling at 65 miles per hour, those seconds can mean the difference between life and death.' Further, the dangers of driving while sleepy are often compared to the dangers of driving drunk. Kahn said 24 hours worth of sleep deprivation — at once, or accumulated over time — results in the same cognitive impairment equivalent as a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.10%, which is higher than the legal limit. And again, he added, it's unsafe to drive even before you reach that point. He pointed to the concept of 'sleep debt,' or not getting enough sleep cumulatively. 'If you regularly miss an hour of sleep for 10 consecutive nights, your cognitive impairment can be as severe as if you hadn't slept for 24 hours straight,' he explained. One of the two time ranges when this occurs may surprise you. According to the Department of Health of New York State, most sleep-related crashes occur between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., and 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. So yes, driving in the early morning isn't a great idea, but that 'afternoon slump' period isn't either. This is when bodies are typically the most tired. 'Importantly, these are the times when you're biologically-inclined to be more drowsy, thanks to the peaks and dips of your circadian rhythm (your internal body clock),' Kahn said. 'Your circadian energy dips will happen regardless if you had enough sleep or not, but sleep deprivation will make you feel drowsier at these times than you otherwise would.' Unfortunately, many factors can contribute to this, though some may be more common than others. Here are a few of the most common ones: Not getting enough solid sleep on your vacation 'One of the biggest contributors to drowsy driving is sleep deprivation,' Miller said. 'This can lead to difficulty concentrating, slower reaction times and even falling asleep at the wheel.' While the amount of sleep each person needs will vary, most adults need seven to nine hours a night, she added. (BTW, 'junk sleep,' or low-quality sleep, doesn't count.) A sleep disorder A bigger sleeping issue may be going on, so checking with a doctor is smart. 'Some disorders, like obstructive sleep apnea, cause low-quality sleep as sleep is often interrupted or restricted, thus low-quality and less restorative,' said Nicole Eichelberger, a sleep expert at Mattressive. What's even scarier is that it's not always noticeable. 'Unfortunately, most people who suffer from sleep disorders are unaware,' she continued. 'Therefore, it is essential to seek medical help if you notice excessive daytime sleepiness.' Medications or alcohol Miller also listed alcohol and medications, such as antihistamines or benzodiazepines, as contributors to drowsiness and impaired cognitive function. So if you're enjoying a few cocktails by the pool, for example, be cognizant of this. 'Even small amounts of alcohol and certain drugs can cause drowsiness, poor coordination and slower reaction times, making driving dangerous,' she said. To avoid this, Eichelberger urged reading the side effects listed on the medicines you take, and to avoid driving if drowsiness is listed. When and how long you're driving The time of day and distance matter, too. Many of us road trip to our vacation destinations and often power through the drive in order to get there or get home. 'Driving overnight (which can be tempting to avoid traffic) increases the risk of experiencing sleepiness, even if you think you are well-rested,' said Holly Milling, a clinical psychologist, behavioral sleep medicine specialist and director of The Sleep Practice. 'Driving for long periods of time, at any time of day, is also tiring, and driving without a break can increase vulnerability to sleepiness.' Simply put, you shouldn't drive while sleepy, even if you think you can make yourself stay awake. More specifically, here are some other danger signs these experts listed: Being unable to remember driving for the last few minutes Struggling to focus your eyes and concentrate Drifting into another lane Head bobbing Yawning Feeling easily frustrated Rubbing your eyes or struggling to keep them open Following cars too closely Getting restless or fidgeting Not keeping a consistent speed Braking too late Missing signs and exits 'Even if you don't feel like you'll fall asleep, these signs indicate that your driving ability is impaired and that it's unsafe to continue driving,' Kahn said. What To Do If You're Tired At The Wheel As tempting as it sounds, the answer isn't louder music, colder air or talking to someone. 'The only cure for sleepiness is sleep,' Milling said. Take a short nap While napping in public may feel uncomfortable, it's crucial. You can take a nap at a rest area, gas station or other place you feel safe. And hey, only a short nap is needed. 'Ideally, you should take a 20 to 30 minute nap to feel refreshed, but not so long that you enter a deep sleep cycle and wake up feeling groggy,' Miller said. 'If you're unable to nap, simply resting your eyes or having a break from driving for a few minutes can also be helpful.' Add some caffeine to the mix While caffeine can help, Miller continued, it's a short-term fix and it can't cure severe fatigue. She recommends drinking about 200mg of caffeine (equivalent to a cup of coffee) 30 minutes before getting back on the road. Having a coffee between napping and driving also adds time between waking up and driving, which Kahn said is important. He encourages having that buffer time 'to ensure the post-nap grogginess doesn't affect your driving skills (even if you've only napped for less than 20 minutes).' Combining the two can eliminate mid-afternoon sleepiness for up to an hour, according to a study in the journal Psychophysiology. But again, these experts say a nap comes first and foremost. 'Whether you include caffeine or not, though, the most important ingredient is the nap,' Milling emphasized. 'Never skip sleep in favor of a double espresso.' Exercise Lastly, while it may seem counterintuitive, some movement (along with the nap) can help. 'A short burst of exercise can wake you up and increase your alertness,' Miller said. She encouraged light stretching or a short walk. You could even get some errands done during this time, like walking around the grocery store. Consider other options that will get you home safely If these options feel undoable or aren't cutting it, don't let that deter you. 'Call someone to drive you home or the rest of the way,' Eichelberger urged. 'You can also find a motel [and] rest for the night, or get a cab and head home.' While a Lyft ride or motel stay won't be inexpensive, it is cheaper — and safer — than the alternative. Long-term, Eichelberger recommended maintaining good sleep habits. If you notice excessive fatigue often, she added, consider talking to a sleep doctor so you can avoid car accidents (and various other problems). Being proactive is always smart, too. Milling mentioned not driving if you've been awake for 18+ hours and scheduling breaks every couple of hours, to start. This way, you're less likely to get caught in a drowsy driving situation. While vacations and life can keep us busy, sacrificing sleep isn't a great idea — especially if you're ever behind the wheel. HuffPost.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
$427M to rebuild Washington Bridge by November 2028, McKee announces
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Rebuilding the westbound Washington Bridge is expected to cost $427 million and be completed by November 2028, Gov. Dan McKee announced Friday, delivering long-awaited news about the project. McKee said the state has hired Walsh Construction Co. of Chicago to rebuild the heavily traveled bridge that abruptly closed to traffic in December 2023 after a structural failure. Walsh Construction won the contract after a lengthy competitive bidding saga that began just months after the bridge closed. State officials initially in early 2024 estimated the bridge would cost between $250 million and $300 million, though they cautioned at the time those figures were highly preliminary. A later, more concrete estimate put the price tag at $368 million, making the new $427 million estimate a 16% increase. 'I understand that this has been a challenging time for those who rely on the Washington Bridge, especially in the early days before we were able to restore six lanes of traffic,' McKee said at a State House news conference. The rebuild contract is only one part of the overall cost of the Washington Bridge crisis. When demolition and emergency costs are added to the overall total, taxpayers are currently expected to pay $571 million for the infrastructure failure, according to a Target 12 analysis of state documents. 'The bridge is part of a major artery in Rhode Island that impacts thousands of people every day,' he added. 'We owe it to you to deliver a bridge that is safe and will ultimately make your life easier.' More than 96,000 vehicles traveling on I-195 Westbound drove over the bridge each day before the closure, according to the R.I. Department of Transportation. The state has since rerouted traffic on the eastbound Washington Bridge, a newer span, to go in both directions with additional lanes. RIDOT Director Peter Alviti said the new bridge has been designed to carry 80,000 vehicles every day for 100 years. (Alviti said he expected daily traffic to be lower than pre-closure levels because of the reopening of the Henderson Bridge, another connection between Providence and East Providence.) 'We're ready to build this bridge,' Alviti said. While the bridge was initially expected to reopen within a few months after its closure, further inspections revealed it couldn't be salvaged, and it is currently being demolished. But the effort to engineer a quick process for constructing the new bridge failed last July when no companies bid, leading the McKee administration to regroup and change its approach. The initial price tag for demolition was set at $40.5 million, but that cost quickly ballooned to nearly $100 million after the McKee administration decided to expand the project to include tearing down the bridge's substructure. Walsh Construction has built other bridges throughout New England, including the Memorial Bridge in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge, also known as the Q Bridge, in New Haven, Connecticut. The losing bidder will be paid $1.75 million as a consolation prize for participating in the process. Eli Sherman (esherman@ is a Target 12 investigative reporter for 12 News. Connect with him on Twitter and on Facebook. Ted Nesi (tnesi@ is a Target 12 investigative reporter and 12 News politics/business editor. He co-hosts Newsmakers and writes Nesi's Notes on Saturdays. Connect with him on Twitter, Bluesky and Facebook. Alexandra Leslie (aleslie@ is a Target 12 investigative reporter covering Providence and more for 12 News. Connect with her on Twitter and on Facebook. Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Local doctors aim to make infant spinal taps more successful, less stressful
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — This week in 12 Health, Shannon Hegy spoke with the CEO of Smoltap, a company that makes a 'positioning stabilizer' for infant spinal taps. Spinal tap procedures are used to test the spinal fluid in instances where meningitis is suspected. Shannon's son, Carter, contracted E. Coli meningitis eight years ago at just two months old, so she knows how traumatic these procedures can be for patients and their families alike. Normally, a nurse holds the baby on its side in a 'C' position to expose the vertebrae, while the doctor works to insert a large needle between the L3 and L4. The creators of Smoltap claim 38% of spinal taps are unsuccessful. 'It is incredibly stressful for everyone involved,' Cooper said. 'For the baby, for the nurse, for the doctor, the parents that are in the room … it is an awful experience.' The Smoltap positioner, which was invented by two local doctors, allows the baby to be face-down in a sitting position. It tips the baby's pelvis to expose the vertebrae and keeps the baby stable with soft straps around the back and the head. 'I've been in dozens of these procedures now,' Cooper said, describing the environment as 'so much calmer and so much more relaxed' when a Smoltap positioner is used. 'The fact is, we're getting a first stick in most babies at [a success rate of] 65%, where we used to be in the 30% range [without Smoltap],' he continued. Smoltap is now used in 60 hospitals across the U.S. and Canada, including locally at Southcoast Health, Boston Children's Hospital and Mass General. More from 12 Health Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
