Can You Drive Stoned?

Man driving and smoking joint

A 2022 crash that killed six high schoolers prompted Jennifer Homendy, the Chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, to urge parents to warn their teen drivers about the risks of driving under the effects of marijuana.

She alluded to the perception that many believe it is safe to drive while stoned. In fact, the auto crash that killed the six teenagers was caused by both too many passengers in the car (causing distraction to the driver) as well as marijuana intoxication in the driver. Evidence indicated the teen driver slowed but never stopped completely at a stop sign intersection, then suddenly turned left in front of a gravel truck, which slowed but hit the teen’s car at about 50 miles per hour.

Most drivers have a sense of whether they can drive after drinking, but few have a good idea of how much marijuana and other drugs affect their reactions and attention.

But Isn’t Pot Legal?

For the most part, yes.

Marijuana use is legal for recreational use in 24 states and the District of Columbia. But that’s only for those 21 and over.

It is already well documented that teen brains, especially those of males, are not fully formed until well into the 20s. Some of the areas that are not fully developed until that time are judgment, risk perception, and decision-making; exactly the things that are so important to driving safely.

Teens tend to drive recklessly, take chances, not pay full attention, and not appreciate the disastrous consequences of bad decisions. This is amplified even more when others are present in the car to both distract their focus and cause them to show off.

Teen drivers are not all bad, but they have all these factors stacked against them. Oh yeah, we haven’t even talked about smartphones, earbuds, music, or other distractions. Even our cars themselves are distracting, with many modern vehicles having touch screens and Bluetooth accessories that further take the driver’s attention away from the act of driving.

In the case of the Oklahoma crash, the THC (the active ingredient in cannabis) concentration level in the deceased driver was 95.9 nanograms per milliliter. This level, if found in a living person, would indicate a “high likelihood that the person has used cannabis very recently, and therefore was likely still experiencing acute impairing cannabis effects,” according to the NTSB report on the crash. Granted, concentration levels are not completely accurate, due to being affected by concentrations in other vital organs, such as lungs. But it was clear the teen driver was impaired and should not have been driving.

How to Get Drivers Who Aren’t Stoned

The NTSB is recommending states develop drug and alcohol abuse curricula to emphasize to students the risks of cannabis-impaired driving. The agency also encouraged various state agencies to band together and inform its members about the Oklahoma crash.

Right now, only two states have any such curriculum (Massachusetts and Rhode Island).

Needless to say, driver’s education for years has emphasized the dangers of driving while intoxicated under the effects of alcohol, the penalties of driving under the influence (DUI), and distracted driving.

Yet teens still routinely drive distracted, drunk, and are involved in significant serious and fatal crashes.

Education is a starting point, but it may not move the needle.

Will learning about six teenagers dying in one crash be a tipping point?

Takeaways

  • A horrible crash that killed six teens in 2022 was caused, at least in part, by marijuana intoxication
  • The Chair of the NTSB wants to use this as a launching point for more education about the effects of driving under the effects of cannabis
  • Educating teens is hoped to change perceptions that it is legal or acceptable to drive while stoned

Contact Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Stephen Hoffman

As in all cases involving injury, dog bites or injuries, workers’ compensation, medical malpractice, or other injury and potential liability, if you have been hurt in a car crash, immediately get medical treatment, report the crash to police and your own insurance company, and contact a lawyer with expertise in your type of case, such as bicycle accidents or pedestrians hit by cars.

If you've been in an accident and have questions, contact Chicago personal injury attorney Stephen L. Hoffman for a free consultation at (773) 944-9737. Stephen has over 30 years of legal experience and has collected millions of dollars for his clients. He is listed as a SuperLawyer, has a 10.0 rating on Avvo, and is BBB A+ accredited. He is also an Executive Level Member of the Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce.

Stephen handles personal injury claims on a contingency fee basis, which means you don’t pay anything up front, and he only gets paid if you do. Don’t wait another day; contact Stephen now.