In order to determine the effect of molecular rotation on gas kinetic collisions, light-induced drift measurements were performed on CH₃F in the nu ₄ rovibrational band. Data were taken for a large set of transitions of the type v=0 to 1, Delta J=1, Delta K=1 over a range of values of J or K. Systematic trends in the J- and K-dependence of the kinetic collision rate have been observed. For Kr and CH₃Cl as collision partners the K-dependence is found to be large and nearly linear in K, whereas the J-dependence is found to be small. We present a theoretical model to describe the dependence on the rotational quantum numbers of the relative change in collision rate upon excitation; this model is in satisfying agreement with the experimental results.