Drugged Driving: You Get High and Drive

Do you think that driving while high is safe? Think again.

You’ve heard about the dangers of drunk driving, but do you understand the dangers of drugged driving: driving after taking drugs, including marijuana?

Drugs, including marijuana, affect the way you drive—putting you, your passengers, and other drivers at risk. Drugs can alter your perception, attention, balance, coordination, reaction time, and other skills drivers need to stay alert and safe.

• Studies have found that drugs are used by 10-22% of drivers involved in crashes, often in combination with alcohol.¹ The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that almost 12,000 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes in 2008.²
• Research indicates that marijuana is the most prevalent illegal drug detected in impaired drivers, fatally injured drivers, and motor vehicle crash victims. Other drugs also implicated include benzodiazepines, cocaine, opiates, and amphetamines.³
• Drivers who drive after drinking alcohol AND using marijuana are at an even higher risk. Research shows that combining alcohol and a low dose of marijuana impairs driving skills even more than when alcohol and a moderate dose of marijuana are used separately.⁴

Source Information

¹"NIDA InfoFacts: Drugged Driving," National Institute on Drug Abuse, April 2008

²"2008 Traffic Safety Annual Assessment - Traffic Safety Facts," National Highway Safety Administration, June 2009, DOT HS 811 172

³Soderstrom CA, Dischinger PC, Kerns TJ, Kufera JA, Scalea TM. Epidemic increases in cocaine and opiate use by trauma center patients: Documentation with a large clinical toxicology database. J Trauma 51:557-564, 2001"2008 Traffic Safety Annual Assessment

⁴"Notes. Marijuana and alcohol combined severely impede driving performance," National Highway Safety Administration, Annals of Emergency Medicine 35(4):398-399, 2000