OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The number of serious crashes involving drivers who were under the influence of drugs is growing in Nebraska, and officials are concerned about the trend.

Officials say 28 Nebraskans have died this year in crashes where one of the drivers had drugs in his or her system.

That’s up from 22 last year, and before that the state averaged about a dozen drug-related traffic deaths.

Increased testing might be part of why drugs are being found in more drivers, but the numbers are clearly up.

Fred Zwonechek with the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety says this is a troubling trend.

Law enforcement officials say the legalization of marijuana in Colorado has made the drug more readily available in Nebraska.