Reported in an article on the Governors Highway Safety Association website, drug-impaired driving is a growing problem in the U.S. A recent U.S. study revealed that between 2019 and 2021 a staggering 56% of people that were injured or killed in an auto accident tested positive for alcohol and/or drugs. Of those, 1 in 5 tested positive for multiple drugs/alcohol.
Cannabis legalization and views is among the highest of use prior to driving. Changing attitudes toward cannabis present additional challenges. While a majority of people view driving after drinking alcohol as extremely dangerous, fewer see driving shortly after cannabis use in the same way. But research confirms that cannabis directly affects the parts of the brain responsible for attention, decision-making, coordination, and reaction time, which are all critical for safe driving.
Efforts by organizations such as the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and Responsibility.org aim to bridge this gap by equipping State Highway Safety Offices with effective communication strategies and public outreach initiatives to promote safe driving behaviors.
