Study: Alcohol More Deadly Than Cannabis On The Road

Researchers examined drug tests from drivers involved in more than 3,600 auto crashes and found that alcohol led to ten times bigger probability to cause a fatal crash than cannabis.

The study published earlier this months revealed results from research conducted by the scientist at the University of Lyon. They examined data from all fatal accidents that occurred in France during 2011. According to their conclusion, “drivers under the influence of alcohol are 17.8 times more likely to be responsible for a fatal accident,” when compared to sober drivers. A driver under the influence of cannabis is 1.65 times more likely to be responsible for causing a fatal accident.

Those findings support most recent studies of alcohol and cannabis and driving risks. Previously, David Bienenstock investigated the science behind drugged driving estimates and found that THC-positive drivers have a 5% greater accident risk than sober drivers. The same study found that drivers with a blood alcohol level of .08 (the legal limit in most states) were 293% more likely to be involved in a fatal accident. Texting drivers were 310% more likely to crash.

According to the French researchers, drivers with cannabis in their system “have shown a decreased capacity of drivers under the influence of cannabis, in particular, a decrease in attention, increased reaction time and reduced ability to control direction.” In contrast, drivers with alcohol in their system “tend to drive faster, which goes hand in hand with an over-estimation of their own capacities,” while “drivers under the influence of cannabis tend to drive more cautiously.”

The conclusion is that you always need to avoid driving under influence of any drug whatsoever. Get an Uber or ask sober friends for a drive and you will be alright. Enjoy responsibly!

This post is based on this article.

(Sweedsy in no way encourages illegal activity and would like to remind its readers that marijuana usage continues to be an offense under Federal Law, regardless of state marijuana laws. To learn more, click here.)