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Although we already know that alcohol and drowsiness are leading causes of fatal traffic accidents, one area that hasn’t be explored is in the role legal and illegal drug use play in accidents. In its first-ever study of the issue, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) finds that drug involvement in fatal accidents is increasing.

NHTSA reports that “63 percent of the 21,798 drivers who were killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2009 were tested for drugs. Of these, 3,952 tested positive for drug involvement, representing 18 percent of the total for that year.” Following data collected since 2005, the latest information shows there has been a steady increase of drug involvement from 13 percent in 2005 to 18 percent in 2008.

However, the data set isn’t conclusive. “There’s no uniform protocol for drug testing at the state level and no established drug impairment level, so there’s no data on which legal or illegal drugs were present or whether and how they might have affected the drivers,” writes The New York Times.

As Autoblog points out, “the simple presence of the substance does not indicate whether or not the driver was under the influence at the time of the accident.” Essentially, this means that the presence of drugs in a driver’s system does not conclusively prove the drugs were the cause of the crash.

The report paves the way for more research into the issue and could provide the beginnings for the establishment of standardized testing methods looking into drug involvement and fatal crashes. However, the takeaway is clear: if you’re impaired, from lack of sleep, alcohol consumption, legal or illegal drugs, it is best to let someone else get behind the wheel. Don’t put yourself and others in danger.

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