What is drugged driving?
Drugged driving is driving under the influence of alcohol, over-the-counter medications, prescription drugs, or illegal drugs.
Do you think driving while high is safe? 22% of teens admitted that driving while high on marijuana is common among their friends.
A recent survey asked how students felt about drunk driving and drugged driving. It found that:
In addition, 3.6 million young people between ages 16 and 25 admit to driving under the influence of marijuana within the past year, according to the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
Both Drunk Driving and Drugged Driving are Dangerous
Did you know that vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death among people aged 16 to 19? When you combine teens’ inexperience at driving with the use of drugs that affect cognitive and motor abilities, the results can be tragic.
You’ve heard all about the dangers of drunk driving, but do you understand the dangers of drugged driving—driving after taking drugs or smoking marijuana?
Drugs, including marijuana, affect the way you drive—putting you, your passengers, and other drivers on the road at risk. Drugs can alter your perception, attention, balance, coordination, reaction time, and the other skills you need to stay alert and safe.
More and more studies of drivers killed in motor vehicle accidents have found an increasing number of these drivers testing positive for at least one drug.
According to the GHSA's "Drug-Impaired Driving" survey, 43.6 of drivers tested after a deadly car crash had drugs in their system.
Using any mind-altering drug makes it unsafe to drive a car—just like driving after drinking alcohol!
For More Information:
"Drugged Driving" (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
