Marijuana or Alcohol

Which Drug Causes More Fatal Car Accidents?

It is a widely known fact that driving under the influence of alcohol is irresponsible, dangerous, and potentially fatal. Other drugs, including marijuana, can also affect a person’s ability to concentrate, to react quickly to unpredictable situations, and to maintain control of the vehicle.

However, until recently, there has been little to no evidence as to which —alcohol or marijuana—is responsible for causing more fatal car accidents. A French study was recently published that confirms that drivers who are impaired by alcohol are more likely to be involved in a fatal accident than drivers who are under the influence of marijuana.

PLOS One Study

The PLOS One Study analyzed French motorists who were under the influence of alcohol or marijuana to see who was more likely to cause a fatal car accident. The results indicated that French drivers who were under the influence of marijuana were 1.65 times more likely to cause a fatal car accident. This was compared to drivers who were under the influence of alcohol, who were 17.8 times more likely to cause an accident involving fatalities.

Researcher Jean-Louis Martin looked at the fatal car accidents that occurred in Metropolitan France in 2011. He compared those results to a similar study that analyzed similar information between 2001 and 2003. Martin closely examined the toxicology reports of 4,059 deceased motorists for a wide range of characteristics, which provided valuable information about the presence of drugs or alcohol in the blood.

French Research Coincides with US Study

The PLOS One study out of France coincides with a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) report in the United States from 2015, which states that divers who were under the influence of marijuana were 1.83 times more likely to be involved in a crash than motorists who did not take any drugs.

According to the French study, the overall number of fatalities decreased over the course of the study period. However, researchers also found that one in two drivers that were under the influence of marijuana had also consumed alcohol. Both France and the United States continue to have too many traffic fatalities related to alcohol consumption. Alcohol and drug use can cloud a person’s judgment, impair their ability to make smart choices, and drastically increase their risk of causing, or being involved in a serious, potentially life-threatening car accident.

Baltimore Car Accident Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton Advocate for Victims of Drunk or Drugged Driving

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or killed in a car accident involving another motorist who was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, contact an experienced Baltimore car accident lawyer at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton. For a free consultation, call us today at 800-547-4LAW (4529) or contact us online.

Our offices are located in Baltimore, Columbia, Glen Burnie, and Towson, allowing us to represent car accident victims in Maryland, including those in Anne Arundel County, Carroll County, Harford County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Maryland’s Western Counties, Southern Maryland, and the Eastern Shore, as well as the communities of Catonsville, Essex, Halethorpe, Middle River, Rosedale, Gwynn Oak, Brooklandville, Dundalk, Pikesville, Nottingham, Windsor Mill, Lutherville, Timonium, Sparrows Point, Ridgewood, and Elkridge.