Driving While High OK, Surveyed Teens Say
CARS.COM — Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol can land you in plenty of trouble, but 1 in 3 teenagers in states with legalized recreational marijuana think it’s legal when it comes to weed, according to a new survey by Liberty Mutual Insurance and Students Against Destructive Decisions.
Related: Study: Crash Claims Rise With Legalized Marijuana
Their view appears to be, well, joint: Nearly as many parents (27 percent) think driving under the influence of marijuana is legal in those states, Liberty Mutual reported. And nearly 1 in 4 don’t think it’s dangerous to drive under the influence of marijuana.
By contrast, just 7 percent don’t think it’s dangerous to drive under the influence of alcohol. Teenagers’ opinions are even more permissive: Thirty-two percent think driving under the influence of marijuana isn’t dangerous, while 12 percent think the same of driving under the influence of alcohol.
“Driving under the influence of marijuana significantly impairs motor coordination, judgment and reaction time,” said Mike Sample, a safety consultant at Liberty Mutual, in a statement. “Parents and teens alike must appreciate the importance of not driving under the influence of marijuana to help keep everyone safe on the road.”
Federal researchers studying the effects of marijuana use on driving ability have been thus far unable to conclusively quantify the drug’s impact. Marijuana has been legalized for recreational use in eight states plus the District of Columbia.
Liberty Mutual and SADD conducted the study in spring 2017, surveying 3,800 respondents — 2,800 teenagers and 1,000 parents of licensed teen drivers. The organizations advocate that parents begin talking with teens about safe driving at a young age, set clear expectations and create a secret code that kids can text their parents to pick them up with no questions asked.
