There is an age-old debate amongst marijuana users about the effects of weed on driving performance. The data is clear, compared to a completely sober standard of comparison, marijuana’s effects on an individual’s body and mind do inhibit a driver’s ability to safely operate their vehicle. The benefits of marijuana on several bodily functions and dysfunctions are vast and growing. Euphoria, pain relief, reduced nausea, and the list goes on and on. Weed’s medicinal properties are wide-ranging and all-encompassing. As more research is conducted on the plant, more benefits seem to be found. However, can one desire too much of a good thing?. Let us know ‘Does Marijuana Use Negatively Affect Driving Ability?’.
Does Marijuana Use Negatively Affect Driving Ability?
The effects of marijuana on the brain and body have been extensively studied. Experiment after experiment marijuana has shown weed negatively affect a user’s driving ability to concentrate, perceive time, and gauge distance. Depending on the activity, weed can either help or hurt you.
Many pot smokers are adamant their driving ability improves after taking a hit. Is this truly the case? Is operating a dangerous vehicle under the influence of marijuana safer? The answer is no. No matter how you look at it, the evidence is overwhelming.
Reasons for the risk of crashing your car are greatly increased under the influence of THC:
Studies have shown the risk of crashing your car is greatly increased under the influence of THC (marijuana’s active ingredient) for a few reasons.
Reason 1: Marijuana negatively affect your driving ability to concentrate and react effectively. Driving requires a great deal of concentration, and anything can happen on the road. An outside situation could change in an instant, requiring a driver to stay alert and focused at all times. Several studies have proven that THC reduces reaction time significantly and cuts the ability to hold focus considerably.
Reason 2: THC alters motor coordination. Research indicates individuals with high levels of THC in their bloodstream have significantly lower levels of brain activity in their corticostriatal networks compared to an individual with no THC at all. This means, that while high, your ability to quickly switch between tasks and move your body in reaction to an outside stimulus is depressed.
Reason 3: Coordination and depth perception are reduced while under the influence of marijuana. Science has shown that THC causes reduced activity in large areas of the cerebellum. Reduced activity in that part of the brain inhibits coordination and the ability to precisely gauge distance. The same deficiencies in the cerebellum are exhibited under the influence of alcohol as well.
The myth of “driving under the influence of marijuana improves driving ability” may stem from several different origins. It may be true that an individual is 600 times more likely to cause an accident under the influence of alcohol, far more likely than if under the influence of marijuana. This comparison may fool an individual to conclude that driving high is safe. All this data indicates is that driving drunk is more dangerous than driving high. Though both are far more dangerous than driving without being under the influence of anything at all.
Comparison with drinks
In keeping with the theme of using the comparison of drunk driving to high driving, studies have shown drunk drivers are more likely to drive far past the speed limit compared to high drivers. If anything, high drivers may overcompensate and drive much slower. This isn’t always safe either. Being high allows a driver to better recognize the degree of their impairment and therefore overcorrect by driving with excessive caution. This concept of overcompensation may lead smokers to believe they drive “safer” while high. However, this only means they recognize they aren’t in the safest position to drive.
A sudden influx of complicated information tends to overwhelm the brain of an individual under the influence of weed. When an individual is sober, the brain coordinates new information in an organized way and regurgitates a proper response. When exposed to THC, the parts of the brain which handle these processes are inhibited. When driving, new information comes to you constantly. When the brain is high, it doesn’t manage new external information properly, causing confusion and a slower response rate. When compared to a sober brain while driving, the likelihood of making the wrong, split-second decision increases.
Bad for Health
Oftentimes, an individual may not realize they’re still technically high minutes or hours after smoking weed. Studies have shown that THC’s effects on the brain can last hours after concentration reduces in the bloodstream. Even a frequent smoker’s brain will be under the influence of cannabis hours after smoking. Therefore, an individual may feel as if they are safe to drive hours after using marijuana, though this is not always the case. You’re better safe than sorry. Take a cab or call a friend. Your life is too important.
The science is clear. Even though driving under the influence of weed is technically “safer” than under the influence of alcohol, it doesn’t mean you should do it. What if you don’t react fast enough to that child running across the street, or you’re too distracted to notice the light already turned red? Cannabis has a long list of medicinal and social benefits. Driving performance isn’t one of them. Have fun but make responsible decisions. Your life isn’t the only life on the line.
Frequently asked questions:
- How much more likely are you to get in an accident under the influence of marijuana?
Evidence has shown that individuals under the influence of marijuana are 25% more likely to cause an accident than a sober driver.
- How long should you wait to drive after smoking weed?
It depends on how much you’ve smoked/ingested. The rule of thumb says you should wait 6 hours or more before operating a vehicle.
- Is it illegal to drive high?
In the United States, it is federally illegal to use or buy cannabis products. Although, many states have legalized recreational and/or medical use of marijuana. However, every state has made driving under the influence of marijuana illegal.
