Fatal marijuana car crashes triple

[DocM]

http://seattle.cbslocal.com/2014/02/04/study-fatal-car-crashes-involving-marijuana-have-tripled/

Study: Fatal Car Crashes Involving Marijuana Have Tripled

SEATTLE (CBS Seattle) ? According to a recent study, fatal car crashes involving pot use have tripled in the U.S.

?Currently, one of nine drivers involved in fatal crashes would test positive for marijuana,? Dr. Guohua Li, director of the Center for Injury Epidemiology and Prevention at Columbia, and co-author of the study told HealthDay News.

Researchers from Columbia University?s Mailman School of Public Health gathered data from six states ? California, Hawaii, Illinois, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and West Virginia ? that perform toxicology tests on drivers involved in fatal car accidents. This data included over 23,500 drivers that died within one hour of a crash between 1999 and 2010.

Li reported in the study that alcohol contributed to about 40 percent of traffic fatalities throughout the decade.

The researchers found that drugs played an increasing role in fatal traffic accidents. Drugged driving accounted for more than 28 percent of traffic deaths in 2010, which is 16 percent more than it was in 1999.

The researchers also found that marijuana was the main drug involved in the increase. It contributed to 12 percent of fatal crashes, compared to only 4 percent in 1999.

?If a driver is under the influence of alcohol, their risk of a fatal crash is 13 times higher than the risk of the driver who is not under the influence of alcohol,? Li said. ?But if the driver is under the influence of both alcohol and marijuana, their risk increased to 24 times that of a sober person.?

Researchers found that the increase in marijuana use occurred across all ages for males and females.

Jonathan Adkins, deputy executive director of the Governors Highway Safety Association, told HealthDay News that marijuana impairs driving in much the same way that alcohol does.

?This study shows an alarming increase in driving under the influence of drugs, and, in particular, it shows an increase in driving under the influence of both alcohol and drugs,? Jan Withers, national president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, added.

?MADD is concerned anytime we hear about an increase in impaired driving, since it?s 100 percent preventable,? Withers said. ?When it comes to drugged driving versus drunk driving, the substances may be different but the consequences are the same ? needless deaths and injuries.?

Adkins noted that the legalization of marijuana in some states makes these findings important to traffic safety officials.

?It?s a wake-up call for us in highway safety,? Adkins added. ?The legalization of pot is going to spread to other states. It?s not even a partisan issue at this point. Our expectation is this will become the norm rather than the rarity.?

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[leesmithg]

It's about time cops introduced drug testing kits like the alcohol testing kits.

 

If you're caught under the influence of either, 10 years in the slammer.

[Gerowen]

It's about time cops introduced drug testing kits like the alcohol testing kits.

 

If you're caught under the influence of either, 10 years in the slammer.

Washington ain't no pushover on DUIs.  I knew a girl who, on her first offense, had to put the thing in her steering wheel that she had to blow into before the car would start.  She had to pay for it to be installed, and she had to pay a fee for monthly maintenance on it.  You can't even smoke a cigarette within 100 feet of the entrance to any public building in Washington either.  They don't play around with that stuff.

[CrossCheck]

It's about time cops introduced drug testing kits like the alcohol testing kits.

 

If you're caught under the influence of either, 10 years in the slammer

you would have to apply the same sentencing to people under the influence prescription drugs like any opiate, sleeping pill, nightime cough medicine, any anti-histamine (tends to cause people to be drowsy). you would also have to apply the same sentencing to people who are driving drowsy (not drug induced) and people who are driving while texting (just as if not more dangerous) even talking on a cell phone, eating while driving can effect your alertness while driving

[DocM]

you would have to apply the same sentencing to people under the influence prescription drugs like any opiate, sleeping pill, nightime cough medicine, any anti-histamine (tends to cause people to be drowsy). you would also have to apply the same sentencing to people who are driving drowsy (not drug induced) and people who are driving while texting (just as if not more dangerous) even talking on a cell phone, eating while driving can effect your alertness while driving

You've pretty much described Michigan as far as impaired driving goes - they don't give a rip what caused it you're going to get hammered. There are separate laws for distracted driving, and they're pretty stiff too - espcially if someone is injured or killed.

Killing someone in a wreck doing either can get you a murder charge. Tough enough?

[leesmithg]

you would have to apply the same sentencing to people under the influence prescription drugs like any opiate, sleeping pill, nightime cough medicine, any anti-histamine (tends to cause people to be drowsy). you would also have to apply the same sentencing to people who are driving drowsy (not drug induced) and people who are driving while texting (just as if not more dangerous) even talking on a cell phone, eating while driving can effect your alertness while driving

Any drug or solution banned whilst driving or being in charge of a motor vehicle should face the same punishment.

 

U.K. are useless on dealing with drink, drug, cell-phone and no seat belt use.

 

I have discovered that the magistrates court won't send someone to prison if they're the wage earner.

 

A man had 22 points on his licence which means at least a 3 year ban but was allowed to still drive as he needed the vehicle for his work.

 

Draconian sentencing will change the way people think before they commit an offence.

[Joe User]

It's about time cops introduced drug testing kits like the alcohol testing kits.

 

If you're caught under the influence of either, 10 years in the slammer.

 

What, no summary execution? Lightweight.

[Joe User]

Draconian sentencing will change the way people think before they commit an offence.

 

No it wont. It never does, and it never will. All that's accomplished is longer prison times.

[Dotdot]

Your an idiot if you drive intoxicated, its that simple.

[DocM]

Forgot to mention Michigan's Super-DUI law. If you have a BAC of 0.17 or greater the penalties automatically double, even on a first offence.

[HawkMan]

you would have to apply the same sentencing to people under the influence prescription drugs like any opiate, sleeping pill, nightime cough medicine, any anti-histamine (tends to cause people to be drowsy). you would also have to apply the same sentencing to people who are driving drowsy (not drug induced) and people who are driving while texting (just as if not more dangerous) even talking on a cell phone, eating while driving can effect your alertness while driving

 

If you're taking drugs with a triangle on it, you're not supposed to driver or operate heavy machinery. at least over here it's just as illegal as DUI, well it is DUI... driving a car isn't a right, if you have to take medicines that cause you to be high or low, and unable to properly concentrate, then you can't drive a car. 

No it wont. It never does, and it never will. All that's accomplished is longer prison times.

 

and queues. which causes all the lighter sentencees to be released early or dropped sentencing or home "jailed" anyway.

[HawkMan]

and over here, the legal limit is 0,2? so you basically can't even sniff alcohol or eat a cognac chocolate without blowing over :p

[Nashy]

How do US police not have road side drug testing kits?  

[Rippleman]

you would have to apply the same sentencing to people under the influence prescription drugs like any opiate, sleeping pill, nightime cough medicine, any anti-histamine (tends to cause people to be drowsy). you would also have to apply the same sentencing to people who are driving drowsy (not drug induced) and people who are driving while texting (just as if not more dangerous) even talking on a cell phone, eating while driving can effect your alertness while driving

too bad

[T3X4S]

blanket statements only show your ignorance... wait !  Is that what I just did ?

[DocM]

How do US police not have road side drug testing kits? 

Because until recently the test equipment was prohibitively expensive when you consider the size of our country and the number of patrol cars. This changed recently with a much more affordable swab test, which only started being distributed in the last few months. LA got theirs around New Years.

[HawkMan]

Because until recently the test equipment was prohibitively expensive when you consider the size of our country and the number of patrol cars. This changed recently with a much more affordable swab test, which only started being distributed in the last few months. LA got theirs around New Years.

 

You do understand how and why that isn't a valid excuse right ?

 

Per cop and per capita, breathalysers for cops cars aren't any cheaper in a smaller country. In fact they're generally more expensive since we have more cars in areas with less people, and we can't get the bulk discounts a American state, or district can. 

[+Mirumir Subscriber¹]

one of nine drivers involved in fatal crashes would test positive for marijuana

 

And eight out of nine were sober when they crashed.

[JonnyLH]

I'm going to go out and say this, I personally believe the fact that they're high had nothing to do with the actual incident. I'd just say a lot more people use it these days.

[HawkMan]

And eight out of nine were sober when they crashed.

or influenced by alcohol, speed, crack, medicines and so on. 

I'm going to go out and say this, I personally believe the fact that they're high had nothing to do with the actual incident. I'd just say a lot more people use it these days.

 

So the fact that their mind is dulled, they're not able to concentrate and focus properly on the world around them, and their reaction is severely limited, had nothing to do with the accident. Even if the fact that they where high wasn't the cause, it would make the accident worse due to the lowered reaction making them unable to properly react to what's happening or even avoid it. 

[JonnyLH]

So the fact that their mind is dulled, they're not able to concentrate and focus properly on the world around them, and their reaction is severely limited, had nothing to do with the accident. Even if the fact that they where high wasn't the cause, it would make the accident worse due to the lowered reaction making them unable to properly react to what's happening or even avoid it. 

It's obvious you've never properly touched it yourself. The effects are nothing as you describe and if anything people who are under the influence of cannabis drive a lot more cautious than people who aren't. In the UK it's pretty much the norm for cannabis smokers to drive when they've used it and you never hear a peep from the news. If it was such an issue then it'd be everywhere. Heck the police don't even care in the UK, when they pull over people who're high they care more about the drugs on them rather than the condition of the driver.

 

I always refer to it like this: You could ride a bike all day sensibly without falling off while high. Touch a harder substance or alcohol, you're going to be on the floor or acting stupid.

[ShadowMajestic]

Funny how in America 28% of all car accidents are drug-related....

 

And that after what, a year of legal marihuana? I wonder how us Europeans are still alive today. We've had legal marihuana for ages and in some countries, every drugs is legal for self usage (like my country).We don't even categorize for separate drugs related car accidents, it just barely happens. And 9 out of 10 times that drugs causes a car crash its hard drugs.

 

From personal experience, people that drive while stoned... Are no danger on the road, their reaction time is slower but they drive slower too, usually kind of balances each other out. It's a problem when other drugs then only marihuana are involved, like alcohol.

[cork1958]

I wondered how long it would take to start hearing crap like this!

 

Anyone that thinks that driving while under the influence of pot makes you a worse driver is already high themselves!

 

This is ONLY coming to light due to the fact that it is legal in some places and they are trying to crack down on it. To easy of a way for states to make extra money off it.

[HawkMan]

It's obvious you've never properly touched it yourself. The effects are nothing as you describe and if anything people who are under the influence of cannabis drive a lot more cautious than people who aren't. In the UK it's pretty much the norm for cannabis smokers to drive when they've used it and you never hear a peep from the news. If it was such an issue then it'd be everywhere. Heck the police don't even care in the UK, when they pull over people who're high they care more about the drugs on them rather than the condition of the driver.

 

I always refer to it like this: You could ride a bike all day sensibly without falling off while high. Touch a harder substance or alcohol, you're going to be on the floor or acting stupid.

 

They drive more cautious because their mind is "blurred" and because their reactions are slower, this does NOT make them safer drivers. Do you know the number one way cops recognize drunk drivers? because they swerve all over the road? no, because they speed and rive recklessly ? no. No because they drive really cautiously and usually slow. 

 

It's a known fact that reaction speed is severely reduced under cannabis influence, both your actual movement,s but also the time it takes for your brain to process the information on what to do. When your car is moving at 60-80kmh on a normal road, or more on a highway or similar, even the time it takes for a sober person to react is often to slow or barely enough as it actually takes some time between the time your brain registers danger and you hit the brake pedal. Time is distance. 

[HawkMan]

Funny how in America 28% of all car accidents are drug-related....

 

And that after what, a year of legal marihuana? I wonder how us Europeans are still alive today. We've had legal marihuana for ages and in some countries, every drugs is legal for self usage (like my country).We don't even categorize for separate drugs related car accidents, it just barely happens. And 9 out of 10 times that drugs causes a car crash its hard drugs.

 

From personal experience, people that drive while stoned... Are no danger on the road, their reaction time is slower but they drive slower too, usually kind of balances each other out. It's a problem when other drugs then only marihuana are involved, like alcohol.

 

We have had very limited legal marijuana, mostly limited to your nation, mostly limited to one city there.

 

More so, people know it's illegal to drive while under the influence, and seeing as it's in a city most people under the influence there don't need to, or want to drive anywhere anyway. 

 

And as I said, driving slower doesn't make you safer. in some cases it can actually make you more dangerous. especially coupled with slower reaction. Marijuana is a mind altering drug, you should NEVER operate vehicles or other stuff that can kill or maim you or more importantly other people while under the influence of such drugs. Anyone who thinks that's ok, needs a serious look at their life if they think smoking weed is so important to their life they have to do it before driving, if it is, then you ARE an addict.