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Stoned drivers are safer than drunk ones, new federal data show

washingtonpost.com

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Re: Stoned drivers are safer than drunk ones, new federal data show

#61

Post by squidfood »

Broken_Hippo wrote: post #52
kdamken wrote: post #42

Do not read this and think it's okay to drive high. It's not. Do not drive high. Call an uber or something. I worry that people read studies like this and suddenly justify going out and driving while impaired. Driving is an incredibly dangerous activity on its own. Doing it when you're stoned is a stupid and risky move, and comparing it to how much more dangerous drunk driving is doesn't make it less stupid. If you'v…

That isn't what the article was saying. I do find it a bit unfair to compare daily smokers to functional alcoholics, however - there is a definite difference in the way the drugs affect folks. This was the main point of the article. A slight buzz like that of a daily smoker - or someone using for medical reasons - isn't affecting safety, but going more than that and it should be obvious. Be safe and all that. Besides…

The key point in the article is actually the tests used. THC stays in the body long (days/weeks) after you're no longer impaired.

If a breathalyzer test on Tuesday picked up the beer you had last Saturday, there'd be no correlation between that test and accidents, either. (and no one would approve of using such a test for law enforcement).

Re: Stoned drivers are safer than drunk ones, new federal data show

#62

Post by kdamken »

dubcanada wrote: post #54
kdamken wrote: post #42

Do not read this and think it's okay to drive high. It's not. Do not drive high. Call an uber or something. I worry that people read studies like this and suddenly justify going out and driving while impaired. Driving is an incredibly dangerous activity on its own. Doing it when you're stoned is a stupid and risky move, and comparing it to how much more dangerous drunk driving is doesn't make it less stupid. If you'v…

It's also not safe to drive while tired, on any medication at all (including over the counter drugs), while texting, while on the phone, while not looking at the road, with glasses (they could fall off and you'd be blind), with a heart condition, etc etc. I think it's safe to assume you drive very often with things that affect your driving. If pot is proven to not affect your driving to a measurable degree, then the…

Yes, all those things affect your ability to drive. You shouldn't text and drive, but people do it, etc. I would say being stoned is a lot worse than the other things you listed though:

- When you're tired, you can have a cup of coffee and wake up a bit and regain some of that focus. You can't drink a red bull and suddenly be way less high.

- If you send a text or two while driving, you're not paying attention to the road for a few moments (which is admittedly still crazy dangerous). If you drive stoned - you're driving less safely the entire time you're driving. The combination of the two is even worse.

- Having a heart condition doesn't mean you're going to necessarily have a heart attack every time you drive - there's just a higher risk that something might happen. Even in that case, you may be able to stop/pull over. Once again, if you drive stoned - you're driving less safely the entire time you're driving.

- You can have a backup pair of glasses, you can pull over, etc.

But my main point - just because there are other things that can make the already insanely dangerous activity of driving more risky, doesn't make driving high less bad.

Re: Stoned drivers are safer than drunk ones, new federal data show

#63

Post by carlob »

atom-morgan wrote: post #21
mankyd wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Marijuana doesn't significantly impair reflexes (as generations of musicians have shown). As an aside, is music really reliant on reflexes like this? I would assume that the beat of a song gives one plenty of forewarning as to when a melody might change. And that assumes that the rhythm of a melody doesn't put you in am altered, hypnotic state in other ways.

> As an aside, is music really reliant on reflexes like this? Absolutely. The ability to recover from a mistake without anyone knowing.

Sometimes you aren't even consciously aware until after the fact, it feels like a direct ear-fingers connection without consciousness mediating it.

Re: Stoned drivers are safer than drunk ones, new federal data show

#64

Post by rudolf0 »

curiousgeorgio wrote: post #58

You can distort the data all you want, or in this case, put it in an absurd context to try and prove a point, but the fact remains - the legalization of marijuana is not without negative consequences. I'm surprised no one here has mentioned AAA's findings (legalization followed by a 2x increase in fatal marijuana-related crashes): http://newsroom.aaa.com/2016/05/fatal-road-crashes-involving... EDIT: Link to the study…

Driving while high should definitely be banned, but it kind of seems like they're making a big assumption here.

>The percentage of drivers involved in fatal crashes who recently used marijuana more than doubled from eight to 17 percent between 2013 and 2014.

How are they ruling out the fact that since it's been legalized, more people in general are using marijuana?

Re: Stoned drivers are safer than drunk ones, new federal data show

#65

Post by odonnellryan »

tetrep wrote: post #53
kdamken wrote: post #42

Do not read this and think it's okay to drive high. It's not. Do not drive high. Call an uber or something. I worry that people read studies like this and suddenly justify going out and driving while impaired. Driving is an incredibly dangerous activity on its own. Doing it when you're stoned is a stupid and risky move, and comparing it to how much more dangerous drunk driving is doesn't make it less stupid. If you'v…

> I worry that people read studies like this and suddenly justify going out and driving while impaired. The keyword here is "impaired." It doesn't just have to involve drugs, being exhausted and attempting to drive is also very dangerous. Not just for you, but for everyone else on/near the road.

This is true, don't immediately after waking up, when very tired, etc..

Re: Stoned drivers are safer than drunk ones, new federal data show

#66

Post by odonnellryan »

JPKab wrote: post #3

As a full supporter of cannabis legalization, I'm also a big supporter of a technology that can instantly detect whether someone's reflexes are impaired by cannabis. Notice that I'm focusing on whether or not they are impaired, as opposed to the amount in their bloodstream. The point being that people that use cannabis regularly for medical reasons don't seem to be impaired by it at all, while newer or more occasiona…

The real solution is to get people off the road in general.

Re: Stoned drivers are safer than drunk ones, new federal data show

#67

Post by sageikosa »

beat wrote: post #7

Alcohol has two synergetic problems for drivers... it reduces reflexes and increases confidence, simultaneously. Less capable, and more aggressive. No wonder it's so awful for drivers. Marijuana doesn't significantly impair reflexes (as generations of musicians have shown). As for judgment, it tends to make users more cautious, not more aggressive. They're not trying to get around that car in front of them to blow th…

Not really reflexes per se; as reflexes don't involve any higher brain function. One doesn't rely on reflexes for driving. Reaction time on the other hand is an entirely different matter...

Re: Stoned drivers are safer than drunk ones, new federal data show

#68

Post by amazon_not »

Broken_Hippo wrote: post #52
kdamken wrote: post #42

Do not read this and think it's okay to drive high. It's not. Do not drive high. Call an uber or something. I worry that people read studies like this and suddenly justify going out and driving while impaired. Driving is an incredibly dangerous activity on its own. Doing it when you're stoned is a stupid and risky move, and comparing it to how much more dangerous drunk driving is doesn't make it less stupid. If you'v…

That isn't what the article was saying. I do find it a bit unfair to compare daily smokers to functional alcoholics, however - there is a definite difference in the way the drugs affect folks. This was the main point of the article. A slight buzz like that of a daily smoker - or someone using for medical reasons - isn't affecting safety, but going more than that and it should be obvious. Be safe and all that. Besides…

> These things need fixed to be able to do what you are encouraging.

Lack of transportation, other options or the public intoxication charges should not and cannot ever be an acceptable reason for driving while impaired.

If you indulge, don't drive. Period.

There is no option B. The only acceptable solution, if you have to get behind a wheel and drive, is to abstain from any impairing consumption.

Re: Stoned drivers are safer than drunk ones, new federal data show

#70

Post by curiousgeorgio »

rudolf0 wrote: post #64
curiousgeorgio wrote: post #58

You can distort the data all you want, or in this case, put it in an absurd context to try and prove a point, but the fact remains - the legalization of marijuana is not without negative consequences. I'm surprised no one here has mentioned AAA's findings (legalization followed by a 2x increase in fatal marijuana-related crashes): http://newsroom.aaa.com/2016/05/fatal-road-crashes-involving... EDIT: Link to the study…

Driving while high should definitely be banned, but it kind of seems like they're making a big assumption here. >The percentage of drivers involved in fatal crashes who recently used marijuana more than doubled from eight to 17 percent between 2013 and 2014. How are they ruling out the fact that since it's been legalized, more people in general are using marijuana?

> How are they ruling out the fact that since it's been legalized, more people in general are using marijuana?

That's exactly the point. No one is trying to say that driving high has gotten more dangerous as a result of legalization - just that it's inherently dangerous (and a certain percentage of marijuana users are going to be driving either way), so legalization only contributes to more usage, leading to more irresponsible decisions on the road.

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