Drugged Driving Responsible for More Deaths than Drunk Driving

A new study was released today by the Governors Highway Safety Association that showed, for the first time, drivers killed in accidents are more likely to be under the influence of drugs than alcohol. The data used for this study was compiled from 2015, and it showed that 43% of drivers tested in fatal accidents had some form of legal or illegal drugs in their system. Compare that number to just 37% of drivers tested having alcohol in their system at the time of the fatal accident.

This data is quite surprising for researchers because government officials and police officers devote much of their time and effort combating drunk driving. Drugged driving is almost never mentioned. With these new results, officials are certainly expected to expand their focus to include drugged driving checkpoints.

Additional data from the study also showed that of the 43% that tested positive for having drugs in their system, more than one-third of them had marijuana in their system. Many people believe that marijuana has minimal effects on a person's body, but the results of this study certainly tell a different story. As a driver, you need to be able to react to the driving conditions in a split second. Marijuana and other drugs inhibit a person's ability to react quickly.

It is interesting to note that while drunk driving remains a major problem in all roadways, it has been declining in recent years. However, as all resources have been devoted to reducing the number of alcohol related deaths on the roads, fatal accidents caused by drugged drivers have certainly taken a back seat. That is likely to change with these results.  More and more states are legalizing marijuana, yet the number of fatal accidents caused by drivers who tested positive for marijuana is skyrocketing.

If you have been charged with drunk or drugged driving in Virginia, call the experienced criminal defense attorneys at Portner & Shure today for a free consultation: (703) 916-1227.