Drug and Alcohol Testing in Serious Crashes Would be be Required Under Arizona Bill

The parents of an 18-year-old who was killed in a crash want legislation passed that requires drug or alcohol testing for drivers involved in collisions where people are seriously injured or killed.

Steve and Tana Smith say they hope other families can avoid the agony of not knowing what may have caused crashes that lead to serious injuries or death.

“Had we known whether or not this driver was impaired, it would make this unbearable situation easier to cope with,” Steve told KPHO-TV. “The not knowing, because no test was done in our case, is agonizing.”

The Smiths are pushing for the bill in their son Joe’s name.

“It’s not going to change our situation, but if we can help someone else, if we can ease their pain just a little bit for what we are going through, that’s our ultimate goal,” Tana said.

Joe was killed when a semi-truck slammed into traffic on Interstate 10.

In another vehicle, 74-year-old Joseph Garcia was also killed in the crash. His wife, Mary Lou, was paralyzed from the waist down.

After the collision the truck driver told a Department of Public Safety trooper that he was tired, records show.

No drug or alcohol tests were requested. The driver was not charged.

“I assumed that that’s what the law was, and since it’s not, it needs to change,” Tana told The Arizona Republic in October. “I’ll do whatever I can do to change this because this is something that can affect anybody at any time.”