marijuana use may affect a motorist in what ways
How Marijuana Use May Affect a Motorist
There are a number of ways in which marijuana use may affect a motorist, and they all have a significant impact on their driving abilities. In the study, researchers from the McLean Hospital of Harvard Medical School looked at how participants performed on a driving simulator. They found that the drivers who began regularly using marijuana before they reached the age of 16 showed greater impairments than those who started later in life. Cannabis users were also more likely to hit pedestrians, exceed speed limits, and run through red lights than those who did not use marijuana. marijuana card ny anxiety
In addition to the potential effects of marijuana, alcohol and other drugs increase the risk of car crashes. The concentrations of these substances have a profound impact on a motorist’s level of impairment. For example, 36% of fatal marijuana-related crashes involve speeding. Another 26% of marijuana-impaired motorist crashes involve speeding. Drivers may slow down after consuming marijuana, but this is not the safest course of action.
Studies have shown that marijuana uses can impair driving for as much as four hours. The impairment is measured on several variables, including lane changes, reaction time, and judgment. Marijuana use may also cause impaired judgment or coordination, as well as decreased concentrations of THC, which reduces a driver’s ability to perform defensive driving. These factors make it difficult to determine whether marijuana or alcohol contributed to a crash.
Marijuana is a Schedule I controlled substance, so researchers need to have federal approval to conduct studies. As a result, public safety officials cannot give specific guidance on when it is safe to drive after marijuana use. It is up to motorists to make these decisions for themselves. They can’t rely on any studies that prove the benefits of marijuana in driving. It is still a good idea to use a drug-free environment when you have the opportunity.
The most important thing to remember when using marijuana is that it is not nearly as dangerous as alcohol. Despite its reputation, research shows that marijuana use is far less likely to lead to fatal car accidents. In France, for example, a recent study of more than 4,000 drivers examining a police database found that those under the influence of alcohol were 17 times more likely to cause a crash than those who were not.
Researchers from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety recently studied fatal crashes involving drivers who tested positive for marijuana. While marijuana use does increase the likelihood of being involved in a fatal accident, it does not mean that the driver is impaired by marijuana. In fact, the study authors noted that there was no correlation between marijuana legalization and the increased number of positive drivers. The study did not reveal a clear connection between legalization and fatal crashes, but it is certainly worth looking into.