According to a study published in the Drug and Alcohol Dependence Journal, researchers say that heavy recreational marijuana users are poor drivers – even when they’re not high – when compared to those who do not use marijuana at all.
Researchers found that users, especially those who started using marijuana early in high school, had more accidents, engaged in more speeding, and ran more red lights than non-users when conducting simulation tests.
Based on the study, drivers who are regular users of marijuana appear to pose a higher risk to other motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians – sober or not – fueling existing concerns over public safety especially as cannabis use goes up across the country.
It is never safe to drive impaired on marijuana, which slows reaction times, impairs cognitive functioning, and even makes it difficult for drivers to maintain a steady position in their lane. Driving often requires split second decisions that an impaired or an otherwise dimmed driver cannot exercise.
Every year, Iowa state patrol troopers make hundreds of arrests and issue thousands of citations for drugged driving, sometimes responding to accidents involving serious injuries or fatalities caused by drugged or drunk drivers.
Drivers who use cannabis are encouraged to find a designated driver when impaired, and be aware that cannabis use in general may result in a diminished ability to operate a vehicle safely overall. If you or a family member has been injured in a motor vehicle accident caused by what you believe was an impaired driver using marijuana or any other substance, contact McDonald, Woodward & Carlson PC’s car accident attorneys for a consultation. We have handled hundreds of injury cases involving car accidents caused by negligence such as impaired driving, distracted driving, cell phone use and other causes. When one of our attorneys represent you in a personal injury claim, you will not pay any fees until you receive compensation for your losses.