Increase in Pothead Accidents

Fatal car crashes involving pot use have tripled in the U.S.

Researchers gathered data from six states – California, Hawaii, Illinois, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and West Virginia – that perform toxicology tests on drivers involved in fatal car accidents.

Alcohol contributed to about 40 percent of traffic fatalities throughout the decade, but drugs played an increasing role in fatal traffic accidents. Drugged driving made up more than 28 percent of traffic deaths in 2010, which is 16 percent more than it was in 1999.

The researchers also found that marijuana was the main drug involved in the increase. It contributed to 12 percent of fatal crashes, compared to only 4 percent in 1999.

If a driver is under the influence of alcohol, their risk of a fatal crash is 13 times higher than the risk of the driver who is not under the influence of alcohol. But if the driver is under the influence of both alcohol and marijuana, their risk increased to 24 times that of a sober person.