With recreational marijuana use becoming legal in some states, the question of how dangerous it is and its effects while driving are being called to question.
According to new research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, nearly half of Americans are concerned about drug-impaired drivers and report feeling that they are a bigger problem now than compared to three years ago. Unfortunately, despite 85 percent of Americans supporting marijuana-impairment laws, they are still unclear on impairment thresholds, safety implications and legal ramifications.
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The Foundation’s annual Traffic Safety Culture Index also showed that one-in-six Americans report that where they live, most people feel it’s acceptable to drive one hour after marijuana use. Still, Americans are most concerned about drunk driving with two-thirds feeling that drunk driving poses a “very serious” threat to their personal safety, while just over half feel the same about drug use.
“While all states prohibit driving under the influence of drugs, there’s significant variation in the minimum acceptable levels of marijuana or its traces in a driver’s system,” said Peter Kissinger, President and CEO of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “Sixteen states forbid any presence of prohibited drugs, while five others have specific limits for marijuana. With a lack of uniformity, it’s no surprise we found that more than half of American drivers are unaware of the laws that exist in their state.”
[Source: AAA]