It’s no secret that Marijuana affects the brain and your body’s ability to react. A study done by the Highway Loss Data Institute was conducted in states that legalized marijuana including Colorado, Washington and Oregon. The study found that collision claims rose 2.7 percent throughout those three states. The data was compared to its own state before marijuana was legal and with the neighboring states that it is still illegal.
Rising Accidents
Car accident claims rose between January 2012 and October 2016 by 16 percent in Colorado. In Washington, they rose 6.2 percent and 4.5 percent in Oregon. Gaby Galvin states that insurance agencies have been watching the increase in car accidents since 2013 (before legal marijuana became a law). Prior to 2013, car accident claims were at a steady decline for more than a decade.
The senior vice president of Highway Loss Data Institute says that there is strong evidence that crashes increased in the states were marijuana sales are legal.
Drunk Driving
Drunk driving is still a major cause of car crashes every year. Twenty-nine percent of all crashes are due to drunk driving. It’s no secret that you would obtain an attorney for a drunk driving claim so, why would you hesitate from getting a lawyer for a crash due to marijuana? Whether it’s drugs or alcohol, it is still impaired driving.
Prevention
Like drinking under age, people are going to smoke marijuana if they want to, whether it’s legal or not. Just like preventing drunk driving find alternative ways to go home. Have a designated driver or take an Uber or Lyft if you are under the influence. Rehearse the saying friends don’t let friends drive drunk, except change that to under the influence.
Though marijuana isn’t legal in Salt Lake City, you could still experience an auto accident from someone who is using. Be sure to contact your attorney if you believe that you have been wronged.
https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2017-06-22/car-crash-claims-rising-in-states-with-legal-marijuana-study-says