Marijuana, drug use cause higher fatal car accidents than drunk driving: study

DENVER, CO - JANUARY 1: A sign is displayed outside the 3-D Denver Discrete Dispensary on January 1, 2014 in Denver, Colorado. Legalization of recreational marijuana sales in the state went into effect at 8am this morning. (Photo : Theo Stroomer/Getty Images)

The study released Tuesday by the Governors Highway Safety Association stated that there have been more casualties caused by drug use than drunk driving. The drugged driving trend is currently increasing as 40 percent of those who died in 2013 had traces of drugs in their bodies, 12 percent more compared to those in 2005. The numbers are nearly the same as those testing positive for alcohol use.

According to International Business Times, a third of the casualties caused by drug use driving in 2013 were caused by marijuana. Weed has already been legalized in 23 states and counting and the study authors call to the authorities to better address the issue of driving while under the influence of drugs. The data was gathered from the roadside surveys of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

"Every state must take steps to reduce drug-impaired driving, regardless of the legal status of marijuana," said GHSA executive director Jonathan Adkins in the release.  "This is the first report to provide states and other stakeholders with the information they need. And we encourage NHTSA to issue guidance on best practices to prevent marijuana-impaired driving. We look to the federal government to take a leadership role in this issue similar to that of drunk driving and seat belt use."

Driving while high or under the influence of marijuana is illegal in the country despite it being legalized in some states.

"Marijuana is by far the most common drug that is used, found in roadside surveys, and found in fatally-injured drivers. Marijuana use by drivers likely increases after a state permits recreational marijuana use," the group report concludes, according to the report by The Washington Post.

According to author James Hedlund, retired executive with NHTSA, it is unclear whether marijuana can increase the chances of drugged driving fatalities.

"The jury is still very much out," said Hedlund, via the report by SFGATE. "You certainly could not say unambiguously that marijuana increases crash risk. The only thing you can say with confidence is that in laboratory experiments, it affects a lot of things that are related to driving."

However, according to USA Today, there is not enough data of how drugs can affect drivers. The report noted that marijuana can be detected in the body weeks after use and those who positive for it may either be sober or under its influence.

The umbrella terminology used, "drugs" can become complicated as it can also refer to crystal meth, prescription pain killers OxyContin, sleeping pills, muscle relaxants and blood-pressure medication to name a few.