Drugs and Car Accidents

A recent report from the Governors Highway Safety Administration suggests that more and more people are driving with drugs in their system. In 2016, 44% of drivers who were killed in car accidents and tested for drugs tested positive, and 58% of those who tested positive had taken marijuana, opioids, or both. By comparison, only 38% of drivers in fatal accidents in 2016 had alcohol in their systems. (Nearly half of those who were alcohol-impaired also had taken drugs.) Although it should be noted that the presence of drugs does not necessarily mean that the driver was impaired, the report indicates that using marijuana and opioids can increase the risk of accidents.

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