Marijuana increases Risk of Fatal Crashes, claims Report

Posted by Sagar Satapathy on September 30, 2015.

A new report out from the Governors Highway Safety Association, claims that driving while on marijuana, increases the risk of fatal crashes. The report, also found that although the United States has made significant progress by reducing drunken driving, it is yet to come up with proper awareness campaigns to reduce the use of drugs, mainly marijuana, which pose a big threat to the addicted drivers as well as to other people.

The report, which is based on a research, claims that of all drivers who died in crashes and tested for drugs in 2013, 40% tested positive. At least one-third of those drug users, tested positive for marijuana. According to the report, 32,719 people were killed in vehicle crashes in 2013.

In total, 23 states and the District of Columbia allow medical marijuana, while four states – Colorado, Oregon, Washington and Alaska, along with the District of Columbia – have legalized the recreational use of pot. Federal Scientists believe that marijuana does impair drivers, but they are not unanimous when it comes to studying the exact levels and the difference between alcohol and marijuana impairments.

While the relationship between alcohol and driving impairment, has been established beyond doubt, there is no clear observations on drug impairment. The data is vague and self-contradictory. In some states, every driver involved in a fatal crash is tested for drugs. But, in many other states, only 10% of such drivers are tested. That leads to confusion when it comes to statistics.

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