Drug Impaired Driving
Drug-impaired driving has become an increasing danger on our nation’s roads. In recent years, several states have created new laws allowing marijuana use on a recreational or medical basis, which has made discussing the issue of impaired driving even more important. We want everyone to know that nationally, it is illegal to use marijuana and then drive.
From 2019-2021, NHTSA conducted a study at several trauma centers and medical examiner offices involving drivers who were seriously injured or killed. The study found that about 26% of those drivers had active THC, which is found in marijuana, in their system.
Driving while impaired is illegal in the United States. Impaired driving happens when someone operates a vehicle while impaired by a substance like marijuana, other illegal drugs, some prescribed or over-the-counter medicines, or alcohol. Polysubstance use (using more than one drug or using drugs and alcohol together) also makes driving dangerous.
If you’ve used any impairing drug, do not drive. Call a sober driver, a ride sharing service, or a taxi. Someone who’s high shouldn’t be making decisions about driving; their thought processes and physical reflexes can be slowed, putting them at higher risk of being in a crash where they or someone else could be severely injured or killed.
Whether the drug is legally obtained or not, drug-impaired driving poses a threat to everyone on the road.
In 2020, 56% of drivers who were killed or seriously injured in crashes tested positive for at least one impairing drug.
If you think driving while high from marijuana won’t affect you, you are wrong: It has been shown that marijuana can slow reaction times, impair cognitive performance, and make it more difficult for drivers to keep a steady position in their lane.