Study: Marijuana Use Increases Likelihood of Car Accidents
There is a lot of evidence that drinking alcohol and then driving can cause car accidents. That is why there are laws which regulate alcohol consumption and designate a range of acceptable intoxication. The state of Texas finds that being “intoxicated” means that normal mental or physical functioning is impaired. Driving under the influence of marijuana including prior to three hours of smoking can also be detrimental according to multiple studies. Since the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health estimates that over 10 million Americans have driven under the influence of marijuana, this is no small deal. A study conducted by the Dalhousie University in Canada compiled the statistics of nine other studies which studied marijuana’s effects on car accidents from all around the world. Overall, more than 49,000 people who were involved in accidents were under the influence of marijuana. That lead these researchers to conclude that people who smoked weed before driving were almost two times more likely to cause car accidents. “Despite being regulated in many jurisdictions, cannabis (marijuana) is the most widely used illicit substance in the world,” the report stated in the British Medical Journal. The report also suggests “that cannabis impairs performance of the cognitive and motor tasks necessary for safe driving, increasing the risk of collision.” It may be difficult to avoid car crashes even if you are as careful as possible. But if you are injured because of the negligence of someone else, it is good to know that they may be liable for damages such as medical bills and lost wages. Filing a personal injury lawsuit can also help you deal with the emotional trauma that you have experienced from the accident. Contact a skilled personal injury attorney in New Braunfels who can represent your interests.
