Driving while high on drugs is not only illegal, it’s also very dangerous. Marijuana and other drugs impair a driver’s judgment, coordination, and reaction times.
Drugged Drivers on the Road
Since the legalization of marijuana, there has been a notable increase in traffic accidents across the country. Although the use of marijuana is considered safe by many people, it has a significant impact on the brain. Marijuana, like cocaine, methamphetamine, opioids, and some prescription drugs, alter cognitive functions that are essential for safe driving skills.
Driving while high on drugs creates dangers for the impaired driver, other drivers on the road, and any nearby pedestrians. Research studies show that marijuana use impairs a driver’s ability to make critical decisions behind the wheel. It also alters a driver’s ability to judge accurate distance and speed, decreases physical coordination skills, slows reaction times, and lowers the ability to focus on the road. Drivers high on marijuana often weave into other lanes, side-swipe other cars, run off the road, and cause rear-end collisions.
Drivers who use cocaine or methamphetamine often become aggressive and agitated behind the wheel. These drug-induced behaviors lead to reckless driving accidents that injure and kill other people. Henderson car accident lawyers often see serious or fatal car crashes caused by reckless drivers who are speeding, ignoring traffic signals, and disobeying Nevada laws because they are high on drugs.
In Nevada, all forms of intoxication for drivers are illegal under state DUI laws. This includes driving while impaired by alcohol, marijuana, an illegal drug or substance, a legal prescription, or an over-the-counter medication. Nevada has an extensive list of substances that are banned for drivers, and Nevada courts impose severe penalties for drugged driving. Drivers who are charged with DUI offenses need proper legal representation to avoid steep penalties and possible jail time.
Marijuana is the drug most frequently involved in Nevada drugged driving car accident cases and personal injury claims. Since the legalization of recreational marijuana use in 2017, Henderson car accident lawyers have seen a steady rise in the number of car accidents each year. The victims of these drug-induced car accidents often face serious injuries that result in expensive medical bills, time away from work and lost wages, chronic pain, and suffering, and emotional distress that impacts daily functions. Driving while high on marijuana and other drugs is now a leading cause of Nevada car accidents with statistics that rival drunk driving cases.