Last week, AAA released a study that showed that nearly 70% of Americans think its unlikely a driver will get caught by police for driving high on Marijuana.
The study, done by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, found that 14.8 million drivers report getting behind the wheel within one hour after using marijuana in the past 30 days—even with the effects of marijuana usually experienced in 1-4 hours after using.
In the AAA Foundation survey, 7% of Americans reported they approved of driving after recently using marijuana – more than other dangerous behaviors like alcohol-impaired driving (1.6%), drowsy driving (1.7%), and prescription drug-impaired driving (3%). Other survey findings show that:
- Millennials (nearly 14%) are most likely to report driving within one hour after using marijuana in the past 30 days, followed by Generation Z (10%).
- Men (8%) are more likely than women (5%) to report driving shortly after using marijuana in the past 30 days.
“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.”
AAA recommends all motorists avoid driving while impaired by marijuana or any other drug (including alcohol) to avoid arrest and keep the roads safe. Just because a drug is legal does not mean it is safe to use while operating a motor vehicle. Drivers who get behind the wheel while impaired put themselves and others at risk.
Source: https://newsroom.aaa.com/2019/06/americans-dont-think-theyll-get-arrested-for-driving-high/
