As more states have legalized recreational marijuana, drivers tend to underestimate the risks of driving under its influence, according to Jennifer Homendy, chair of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). In its report, the NTSB cited studies showing that marijuana decreases motor coordination, slows reaction time and impairs judgment of time and distance, all critical functions for driving.
Currently it’s legal for people 21 and older to use marijuana recreationally in 24 states plus Washington, D.C., according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. In most other states, it’s legal for medical purposes. Driving while impaired by marijuana is illegal in all states and Washington, D.C. Over half of Americans live in a state where recreational cannabis use is legal.
States, Homendy said, need to collect more data on how legalizing marijuana has affected traffic safety, and they need to start enforcing laws against driving while impaired by cannabis. One study on crashes in Washington state, which has legalized recreational marijuana use, showed that more drivers involved in fatal crashes tested positive for marijuana after it became legal, the NTSB said.
Source: NPR
