I made an off-hand joke a few weeks back that decriminalizing pot would probably result in an increase in slow-speed, early-morning collisions, in front to 24 hours convenient stores. Say it with me. “Look Dude, Buuurrreeeettttto’s.”
Well, a study has just been released, in which New Hampshire crash data were part of the sample. (California, Hawaii, Illinois, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and West Virginia)
In it, the researchers studied drug use and fatal collision data between 1999 and 2010. Alcohol continues to own this category, but Drug use is making inroads. In 1999 Drug use was a factor in only 12% of reported motor vehicle fatalities. In 2010 the report claims 28% of fatalities were drug related.
The report also states that marijuana, which accounted for only 4% of drug related motor-vehicle fatalities in 1999, rose to 12% of all drug related motor-vehicle fatalities in 2010. The largest single increase in the report.
I guess MADD needs to a new division. MADAM. Mothers Against Driving After Marijuana.
