Drugged Driving Becoming A Major Concern In California
| December 10th, 2012
December 10, 2012 With the number of marijuana-related drugged driving accidents on the rise, many citizens are concerned about marijuana use and highway safety. CBS News discusses the problem and what law enforcement is doing to solve it. Santa Cruz County seems to be at the center of the debate, with the California Highway Patrol (CHP) reporting five of the eight fatal motor vehicle accidents in the area over the past year caused by drivers who tested positive for the drug. Statistics show that drivers who smoke marijuana are twice as likely to be involved in accidents as sober drivers, and numbers from the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence show that around 20 percent of drivers involved in accidents tested positive for marijuana consumption. Officers say driving under the influence of marijuana can be extremely dangerous because of the drug’s effect on perceptions of both time and space. To combat the growing problem, the CHP has begun an awareness campaign with the public to educate citizens about the dangers of drugged driving. The California Personal Injury Lawyers with Berg Injury Lawyers say drivers are responsible for making the decision to not get behind the wheel after ingesting a mind-altering substance and failure to do so can be considered negligent in the event of a California Car Accident.
