There are a lot of people who have drunk alcohol and used marijuana who will say, “It is much safer to drive under the influence of marijuana than alcohol!” But is this really true? According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse(NIDA), “Marijuana significantly impairs judgment, motor coordination, and reaction time, and studies have found a direct relationship between blood THC concentration and impaired driving ability.”
The NIDA goes on to say that marijuana is an illegal drug that is found the most in the blood of drivers who are involved in crashes, and this includes the fatal ones. Two large European studies were conducted and they found that when drivers have THC in their blood, they have double the risk of being responsible for a fatal crash than drivers who have not used any drugs or alcohol.
Mixing Marijuana & Alcohol is Worse
In addition to the above, the NIDA explained that drivers who are involved in car accidents with THC in their blood, especially high levels, are three to seven times more likely to be liable for the crash than drivers who had not been under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Finally, the NIDA noted that the risk is higher if marijuana is combined with alcohol than it is for marijuana or alcohol by themselves. How does marijuana affect driving? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), driving under the influence of marijuana is dangerous. Like alcohol, marijuana negatively affects people’s ability to drive safely.
- Marijuana can slow down people’s ability to make decisions.
- Marijuana can slow down drivers’ reaction time.
- Marijuana can reduce coordination.
- Marijuana can distort people’s perception, affect problem-solving, and cause memory loss.
- Marijuana is more dangerous when drivers combine it with alcohol.
Have you been injured in a car accident because the at-fault driver was under the influence of marijuana or another drug? If you have been a victim of drugged driving, contact The Zendeh Del Law Firm, PLLC to meet with a Plano car accident attorney.