I. DRE Evaluations
1. Number of DREs and DRE Evaluations by Year
In 2024, 353 DREs submitted enforcement evaluations, representing a 1% decrease compared to 2023. The total number of DRE evaluations decreased 3% from 2,130 in 2023 to 2,076 in 2024. Compared to 2017, the number of DREs increased by 58%, while the number of evaluations conducted declined by 14%.
2. DRE Response Time: Arrest to Start of Evaluation, 2024
41% of evaluations in 2024 were initiated within an hour of arrest.
3. DRE Response Time: Notification to Start of Evaluation, 2024
61% of evaluations in 2024 were initiated within an hour of DRE notification.
4. DRE Evaluation Duration, 2024
The average time to complete an evaluation in 2024 was 57.4 minutes. The largest share of evaluations was completed between 41 and 60 minutes.
II. Chemical Test Status
1. Drivers Evaluated and Tested by Year
Of the 2,076 drivers evaluated in 2024, 78% submitted to a chemical test, while 16% refused. The refusal rate was highest in 2022 and lowest in 2018.
2. Biological Specimen Type, 2024
In 2024, 79% of drivers who submitted to a chemical test underwent a blood test, 26% underwent a oral fluid test, and 10% underwent an urine test.
III. Toxicology Results
Toxicology results from the lab reports can include non-impairing substances such as caffeine, non-impairing medications, drugs administered as part of treatment following a crash, and metabolites of the parent drug that was ingested, insufflated, or injected. Some metabolites remain active and can potentially affect cognitive or motor functions until further metabolism is complete; other metabolites are inactive (i.e., do not impact cognitive or motor functions). The following analyses were based on impairing parent drugs and active metabolites in the blood and/or oral fluid, excluding inactive metabolites, non-impairing drugs, and drugs likely administered in post-crash settings. The presence of any parent drug or active metabolite indicates that an active form of a drug was present in the driver’s system at the time of arrest.1
1. Drug Categories Found in Drug-Positive Drivers (Blood/Oral Fluid Test), 2024
Cannabis was the most commonly detected drug category, with 53% of drug-positive drivers testing positive. This was followed by CNS Stimulants (52%) and Narcotic Analgesics (42%).
2. Polycategory Drug Use Among Drug-Positive Drivers (Blood/Oral Fluid Test), 2024
In 2024, 53% of drug-positive drivers tested positive for multiple drug categories.
3. Top Five Drug Category Combinations Found in Drivers Testing Positive for Multiple Categories (Blood/Oral Fluid Test), 2024
In 2024, among drivers who tested positive for multiple drug categories, CNS Stimulants & Narcotic Analgesics was the most frequently detected combination, followed by CNS Stimulants & Cannabis and Cannabis & Narcotic Analgesics.
Category Combination | Count (N=576) | % |
|---|---|---|
CNS Stimulants & Narcotic Analgesics | 293 | 51% |
CNS Stimulants & Cannabis | 202 | 35% |
Cannabis & Narcotic Analgesics | 153 | 27% |
CNS Depressants & Narcotic Analgesics | 136 | 24% |
CNS Depressants & CNS Stimulants | 118 | 20% |
Note: Drivers who tested positive for three or more categories are included in all relevant pairings. For example, a driver positive for Cannabis, CNS Stimulants, and Narcotic Analgesics is counted in the combinations Cannabis & CNS Stimulants, Cannabis & Narcotic Analgesics, and CNS Stimulants & Narcotic Analgesics. | ||
4. Top Ten Individual Drugs Found in Drug-Positive Drivers (Blood/Oral Fluid Test), 2024
In 2024, DELTA 9 THC was the most commonly used individual drug, followed by COCAINE and FENTANYL.
Parent Drug | Category | Count (N=1,090) | % |
|---|---|---|---|
DELTA 9 THC | Cannabis | 577 | 53% |
COCAINE | CNS Stimulants | 394 | 36% |
FENTANYL | Narcotic Analgesics | 271 | 25% |
METHAMPHETAMINE | CNS Stimulants | 211 | 19% |
BUPRENORPHINE | Narcotic Analgesics | 95 | 9% |
ALPRAZOLAM | CNS Depressants | 88 | 8% |
CLONAZEPAM | CNS Depressants | 77 | 7% |
METHADONE | Narcotic Analgesics | 63 | 6% |
AMPHETAMINE | CNS Stimulants | 62 | 6% |
BROMAZOLAM | CNS Depressants | 39 | 4% |
Source: New York State DRE Database, as of September 2025
Footnotes
Thomas, F. D., Berning, A., Darrah, J., Graham, L. A., Blomberg, R. D., Griggs, C., Crandall, M., Schulman, C., Kozar, R., Neavyn, M., Cunningham, K., Ehsani, J., Fell, J., Whitehill, J., Babu, K., Lai, J., & Rayner, M. (2020). Drug and alcohol prevalence in seriously and fatally injured road users before and during the COVID-19 public health emergency (DOT HS 813 018). National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.↩︎