Currently, 24 states have legalized the recreational use of marijuana. Another 14 states now allow the drug for medical uses (requiring a medical card issued by the state). In 2021, the state of Virginia passed a law that allows adults to legally possess up to one ounce of marijuana.
What these laws often mean is that more people are getting behind the wheel of a vehicle under the influence of cannabis, putting those on the roads with them at risk. In one alarming study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CD), the number of people who admitted driving after engaging in marijuana use spiked by almost 50 percent over a four-year span
At Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp, each Virginia Beach car accident attorney is dedicated to helping accident victims get the financial compensation they deserve for the injuries they have suffered. If you were injured in a crash caused by a driver under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol, contact our office today.
How Prevalent Is Marijuana Use in Drivers?
It may surprise many people to discover just how much of an increase marijuana use has had over the past several years. As more states legalize recreational and medical marijuana, its use has become more popular. And it is not just teens who use the drug. Many adults who began using the drug as teens still do today, and the stigma marijuana once had no longer exists.
Unfortunately, this popularity has also led to poor choices since studies show that almost 15 percent of nighttime drivers have marijuana in their system while they are driving. Proof of this increased danger also exists in the addition of another national “Notorious Driving Day.”
Over the past several decades, both December 31st (New Year’s Eve) and July 4th have been designated the most dangerous two days of the year to be on the roads because of the high spike in car crash fatalities that are caused by drivers who are operating under the influence.
Unfortunately, as marijuana usage grows in popularity, a third day has been added to that list, April 20th, which is considered the unofficial marijuana holiday (420 is slang for marijuana, hence the date 4/20). The federal government compiled 25 years of data and found that there is a 12 percent increase in the number of car accident deaths on April 20th compared to other days of the year. This calculates out to more than 140 car accident victims killed each year on that date.
Dangerous Choice
People who use marijuana often do not think their driving is affected because the effects of marijuana are different than the effects of alcohol. However, there is a significant impact that using pot has on a driver’s ability to drive. Some of the more common effects include slower reaction time to what is occurring on the road, a longer time to make decisions, distorted perception, and impaired coordination – all factors that can lead to a deadly crash. And the danger becomes even greater if the driver also has alcohol in their system.
Contact Our Personal Injury Law Firm
While marijuana use may be legal in Virginia, it is a crime under state law to operate a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol. In addition to criminal charges, an impaired driver who causes an accident may also be responsible for punitive damages for any victims who were injured in the crash or to the families of anyone killed in the crash. Our firm has successfully obtained more than $100 million in settlements and verdicts, like the $200,000 personal injury insurance settlement we obtained for one client who suffered a broken hip and a fractured vertebra when a highly intoxicated driver crashed into his car.
Contact Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp if you would like to meet with one of our skilled Virginia Beach car accident attorneys to find out how we can help. Call our office to schedule a free case evaluation.
For your convenience, we have offices in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Hampton, Portsmouth, Suffolk, and Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
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Andrew Stover limits his law practice exclusively to personal injury law. Andrew is a member of the American Association for Justice, the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, and the Virginia Beach Bar Association.
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