The Dangers of Drugged Driving are Outpacing Drunk Driving
upstart writes in with an IRC submission:
The dangers of drugged driving are outpacing drunk driving:
A recent study of drugged driving, by a team of University of Cincinnati researchers, shows that a sizable percentage of individuals reported the use of marijuana and other illicit drugs while operating behind the wheel
"We need to focus our efforts on drugged driving, in addition to drunk driving, because drugged driving causes such a high level of fatalities, says Andrew Yockey, a doctoral student in UC's College of Education, Criminal Justice and Human Services and researcher at the UC Center for Prevention Science.
Yockey is lead author on the study "Drugged driving among U.S. adults: Results from the 2016-2018 national survey on drug use and health" -- published in the Journal of Safety Research.
"Even though less[sic] people are driving, drugs are increasing in availability and are being found in more reports of drugged driving in the U.S.," says Yockey.
[...] The most commonly reported drugs used while drugged driving are marijuana and opioids, with nearly one in five individuals reporting the use of marijuana while driving a vehicle, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[...] For example, Vidourek says that some cultures and communities are less likely to view marijuana as a drug and potentially harmful substance, which may affect its use while driving. "Identifying messages and strategies that are culturally relevant is imperative," she says.
"We need to be vigilant because the trends are increasing," says Yockey.
Journal Reference:
Drugged driving among US adults: Results from the 2016-2018 national survey on drug use and health, Journal of Safety Research (DOI: 10.1016/j.jsr.2020.10.006)
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