For many years, we’ve heard time and time again just how dangerous drinking alcohol and driving can be, and we’ve also seen the terrible consequences of that combination countless times as well. However, in recent years, many U.S. states have begun to legalize marijuana for recreational use, though just like alcohol, that drug can have a significant impact on one’s ability to safely operate a motor vehicle. Now, following a recent, fatal crash involving marijuana use by a teen driver, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued a safety alert for that very same reason.
The NTSB just concluded its investigation into a crash that occurred in Oklahoma, when the driver of a Chevy Spark failed to stop at a stop sign, and proceeded to turn left onto a road directly in front of a a semi truck carrying gravel. The resulting crash killed six teenagers that were in the vehicle at the time, and the NTSB ultimately determined that the driver was under the influence of marijuana. In its safety alert, the NTSB is encouraging parents to remind teens of the effects marijuana can have on one’s ability to safety operate a vehicle, as well as the fact that doing so is also illegal.
“The lesson from this tragedy is painfully clear – marijuana is an impairing substance, period – and it’s a lesson we can’t afford to wait until driver’s ed to teach,” said NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy. “We’re already behind when it comes to traffic safety, and marijuana-impaired driving is exacerbating the crisis. States have to do a better job of protecting road users from impaired drivers, regardless of the substance or its legality.”
While this NTSB safety alert is new, various prior studies have found the same sort of results – driving under the influence of marijuana can be just as bad as driving under the influence of alcohol. This is also why the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently endorsed mandatory impaired-driving prevention technology for vehicles, which is something Ford has explored via a recent patent filing, too.
We’ll have more on this soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for 24/7 Ford news coverage.
Comments
It’s not like using weed started with the legalization. In this particular case having multiple teens in the car was likely just as responsible for the accident at the use of weed. There are a lot of single car fatality accidents with multiple teens in the vehicle.
Marijuana use was still a contributing factor in the crash, the fact that it doesn’t impair a driver like alcohol is immaterial. Impaired driving is still impaired driving just like when a driver is dead tired and falling asleep at the wheel. There are no lesser evils there and when it results in property damage, injury and loss of life there aren’t any excuses.
That’s like my favorite line is, “I need marijuana to calm me down while I’m driving” – no you just don’t need to be operating a vehicle period if your anxiety is so bad you need a drug in order to effectively operate a vehicle.
You hit the nail on the head, Lealand.