Driving High Will Bring You Down

By: Caitlin Greenwich

The legalization of marijuana in Washington and Colorado in November 2012 could have heralded change for the nation’s future regarding the drug. Currently, 18 states have medical marijuana provisions, five have removed jail time for possessing small amounts, and 11 are considering more lenient marijuana laws.

No matter what side of the pot legalization debate you’re on, we can all agree that drugged driving is dangerous. Though some people might boast that they “drive better high,” marijuana is a psychoactive substance proven to inhibit driving abilities. Make no mistake; driving high is driving while impaired, and therefore always illegal, even in states where marijuana use is legal or decriminalized.

THC, the primary active ingredient in marijuana, is proven to many short-term effects, including:

Memory and learning problemsDistorted perceptionDifficulty in thinking and problem solvingLoss of coordination

In the car, these side effects can translate to an inability to focus and perceive objects in front of the driver, decreased driving performance, poor time and distance estimation, an inability to maintain headway, sleepiness, and lack of motor coordination. A stoned driver also can wind up “over-compensating for self-perceived impairment,” according to a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The risks involving drugged driving increase exponentially when alcohol is involved.

Despite the risk, marijuana ranks behind only alcohol as the most frequently detected psychoactive substance among drivers, especially in young drivers.  One in 12 high school seniors admitted to driving after smoking pot, according to Monitoring the Future, an ongoing study of American students and young adults conducted by the University of Michigan. From 2005 to 2009, 42% of fatally injured drivers who tested positive for pot were younger than 25, according to the White House.

The White House has introduced a National Drug Control Strategy to reduce impaired driving in the US by 10% by the year 2015. The NDCS especially targets drunken driving, but it fights drugged driving as well. In addition, many states currently work to crack down on driver impairment.

The problem with understanding THC driving impairment is that we don’t have a good way to measure it. Unlike alcohol, drug levels can’t be measured linearly in the blood. THC can remain in the body for months, and the levels in the blood can loop instead of decreasing steadily. Many states have per se laws that penalize a driver if there is any trace of THC in the blood. In these states, the penalties for drugged driving are harsher than for drunken driving because the drugs involved are illegal.  A habitual smoker in these states would probably be unable to legally drive a car. Washington and Colorado, however, have taken a different approach by setting strict legal driving limits for THC blood levels.

Even though the nation may be moving toward marijuana legalization, you should remember that driving impaired is always illegal. Whether that impairment occurs due to alcohol or other drugs makes no difference. By driving high, you risk not only your life, but the lives of countless others. In this case, just say no.

After a childhood filled with playing soccer, lacrosse and field hockey, Caitlin Greenwich was shocked to discover she had a passion that didn’t involve sprinting across patches of grass: writing. She currently blogs for AutoInsurance.US, avidly following industry news and NASCAR results.

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How to Talk to Your Teen about Safe Driving

By: Allison Jane Bradford

It won’t be the most difficult talk you have with your teen, but the safe-driving conversation can get awkward. No amount of eye rolling or huffing should keep you from instilling good driving habits in your teen. Car crashes remain the leading cause of death among teenagers 15 and older, and the crash rate for 16 year-olds alone is 3.7 times higher than the rate for drivers at any other age.

Insurance providers recommend that your teens sign a safe driving contract that specifically details your expectations for their actions behind the wheel and the consequences if they fail to meet them. This contract should enforce a larger, two-way conversation about what driving means and how your teens can drive safely. Autoinsurance.us has included a parent promise contract as well, because safe driving involves parental commitment. Use these general points to help you find a balance between punishment and understanding.

You’ve been there; you know the feeling of invincibility most teens develop. They can’t be touched. And movies and TV don’t help: Teens make role models of action stars who crash through barriers, other cars, and buildings and suffer no physical or monetary penalties. It’s up to you to complete the daunting task of dispelling these myths.

You can start with the fact that invincibility doesn’t actually exist. Explain that even the smallest accident could not only hurt you but others. The first step is wearing a seatbelt, which can reduce the risk of fatal injury by 45%.  On the flip side, you must practice what you preach. Make a habit – even a show – of putting your seatbelt on as soon as you get in the car.

The invincibility myth poses the gravest threat when it involves alcohol or drug impairment. One in four fatal teen crashes involves driving under the influence in some way. Teach your teen that driving while drinking is both illegal and lethal. Make sure your teens know that their lives and the lives of others are more important than getting into trouble. They should never choose general convenience over safety.

Most teens know the drunken driving statistics, but many don’t understand that driving impairment includes fatigue. Fatigue directly causes an estimated 100,000 police-reported crashes each year, amounting to about 1,550 deaths, 71,000 injuries, and $12.5 billion in total losses, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Tell your teens that any time they feel too drowsy to drive they should safely pull over and call you for a ride.

Distraction involving cellphones also causes problems. Explain to your teen that sending or receiving a text takes a driver’s eyes off of the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, the equivalent – at 55 mph – of driving the length of a football field, blind. One in 4 teens admit they’ve texted while driving, but that doesn’t mean doing so is OK for your teen. It can wait.

When I was just learning to drive, my dad said he trusted me to be a careful driver but that I had to be extra vigilant because other people are morons. He made me both eager to live up to his faith in me and hyper-aware of my surroundings. Teens should understand the dangers of speeding and aggressive driving. In 2009, speed-related crashes accounted for 34% of fatalities among 16-19 year olds. Teach your teens that they may feel in control when engaging in dangerous driving practices such as tailgating or speeding, but the reality is much different: Other drivers can move suddenly, and the crash likely will still be your teens’ fault.

You know the consequences of a wreck can be monetary, physical, and mental. Make sure your teens know that too. Acquaint them with the basic costs of vehicle maintenance, repair, and insurance to maintain a sense of responsibility. Accidents and tickets can remain on their records for three years or longer. That record is more important than the punishment they will receive from you for receiving a ticket or a wreck, so withholding information about a traffic violation could cost them in the future.

Teens need to know that they can’t be the action star who gets into three car crashes and walks away without any consequences because that person doesn’t exist. Remain firm but understanding and enforce your driving contract. It can go a long way toward instilling safe driving habits that could help shelter your teen from harm.

As an undergrad, Allison Bradford felt doomed to live life as a starving poet. Today, she is relieved that professional writing doesn’t necessarily require a vow of poverty. Allison now happily blogs for AutoInsurance.US, covering industry news and motor trends.

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