70 Percent of Drivers Believe Driving While High Won’t Result in an Arrest
It seems some people are confused about how marijuana impacts a person’s ability to drive. In fact, 7 percent of drivers in America surveyed by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety think it’s perfectly okay to get behind the wheel after using the drug, especially since the chances of getting arrested while high are perceived to be pretty slim.
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According to the study, “Nearly 70 percent of Americans think it’s unlikely a driver will get caught by police for driving while high on marijuana.”
That disappointing opinion is bolstered by another that’s quite frightening.
“An alarming finding shows that an estimated 14.8 million drivers report getting behind the wheel within one hour after using marijuana in the past 30 days,” AAA reported in June.
That one-hour window is extremely dangerous, as the effects of marijuana typically kick in one to four hours after using it, the agency notes.
“Marijuana can significantly alter reaction times and impair a driver’s judgment. Yet, many drivers don’t consider marijuana-impaired driving as risky as other behaviors like driving drunk or talking on the phone while driving,” said Dr. David Yang, Executive Director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “It is important for everyone to understand that driving after recently using marijuana can put themselves and others at risk.”
The bottom line is, just like driving under the influence of alcohol or certain prescription drugs or driving while sleep-deprived or engaging in distracted driving behaviors, marijuana use and driving is a reckless, stupid and ill-advised combination.
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“It’s time to face the facts. Any driver who gets behind the wheel high can be arrested and prosecuted,” said Jake Nelson, AAA Director of Traffic Safety and Advocacy. “Law enforcement officials are getting more sophisticated in their methods for identifying marijuana-impaired drivers and the consequences are not worth the risk.”
News Source:AAA
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