With the recent legalization of adult-use cannabis in New York State, AAA Western and Central New York is urging the public to educate themselves on the dangers of impaired driving. Effective consumer education is important to keeping New York roads safe. Regardless of marijuana’s legal status, all motorists need to avoid driving while impaired. Simply put, those who have used marijuana should not drive, and those who plan to drive should not use marijuana.
Getting behind the wheel while under the influence poses a risk to everyone on the road. Next to alcohol, marijuana is the drug most commonly found in drivers who have been involved in collisions, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Marijuana use can inhibit concentration, slow reaction times, and cloud judgment. Its effects vary by individual, but studies have concluded that marijuana use impairs the ability to drive safely. Research suggests that users who drive after consuming marijuana are at least twice as likely to be involved in a crash.
In Washington state, the share of drivers who, after a fatal crash, tested positive for active THC, marijuana’s psychoactive ingredient, doubled since the state legalized marijuana in December 2012, according to AAA research.
All motorists should avoid driving while impaired. Just because a drug is legal to consume does not mean it is safe to use while operating a motor vehicle. Those who get behind the wheel while impaired by any substance put all road users at risk.
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