Driving under the influence of marijuana has become a growing concern, especially in states where cannabis is now legal for medical or recreational use. While the laws vary from state to state, one fact remains consistent: driving while impaired can affect a driver’s ability to safely operate a vehicle. Studies show that marijuana use can greatly affect a driver's mental coordination, which increases the risk of a serious crash.
If you have been injured in a drug-impaired driving case, you can seek legal recovery through a personal injury claim. However, make sure you work with a lawyer to help determine liability. A drug-driving accident attorney can evaluate your crash under the laws to ensure you secure timely justice.
The Effects of Marijuana on Driving Ability
Marijuana use impairs several critical functions needed for safe driving. THC is one of the main psychoactive compounds in cannabis, which affects the brain’s ability to process information, respond to changes in the environment, and coordinate physical movement. While some users may feel calm or confident behind the wheel, their driving performance is often compromised in ways they may not realize.
Delayed reaction times are one of the most dangerous consequences. Drivers under the influence may take longer to brake, change lanes, or respond to sudden hazards. THC also impairs depth perception and spatial awareness, which can affect a driver’s ability to judge distances between vehicles or stay centered in a lane. They are not able to perceive time and distance correctly, which can cause crashes.
Additionally, marijuana can affect decision-making and divided attention. This means a driver cannot effectively stay focused on multiple tasks, like monitoring speed while scanning for pedestrians or reading traffic signals. These impairments, even when mild, increase the risk of driver error and elevate the likelihood of a crash. The risk rises further when marijuana is combined with alcohol or other substances, creating a dangerous synergy that greatly magnifies impairment and crash potential.
Challenges in Detecting Marijuana Impairment
Unlike alcohol, marijuana impairment is much harder to measure with precision at the roadside or in a post-crash investigation. THC affects individuals differently based on dosage, frequency of use, body chemistry, and method of consumption. This variability makes it difficult to establish a universally accepted threshold for impairment.
One of the main challenges is that THC may remain detectable in a person’s system long after its impairing effects have worn off. Blood and urine tests may show the presence of marijuana hours or even days after use, which complicates efforts to prove that a driver was impaired at the time of the crash.
Law enforcement agencies also lack a reliable roadside equivalent to the breathalyzer used for alcohol. Field sobriety tests may be used, but their effectiveness can vary and may be subject to challenge in court. As a result, proving marijuana-related impairment often requires a combination of officer observation, toxicology reports, and expert testimony, all of which introduce additional challenges to drug-impaired driving cases.
Typical Car Accidents Caused by Impaired Drivers
Driving high on marijuana is more likely to lead drivers to make poor decisions or fail to respond appropriately to traffic conditions. As a result, certain types of accidents are more frequently associated with impaired driving. These include:
- Rear-End Collisions: Delayed reaction time is a common side effect of marijuana use. Impaired drivers may fail to brake in time when traffic slows, leading to rear-end crashes. These collisions can cause serious injuries to both drivers and passengers.
- Intersection Accidents: Marijuana impairs judgment and attention, making it harder to interpret traffic signals, judge the speed of oncoming vehicles, or yield the right of way. These issues can lead to broadside (T-bone) crashes at intersections, which often occur at high speeds and result in serious or fatal injuries.
- Head-On Collisions: Impaired drivers may drift into oncoming traffic due to poor lane control, confusion, or delayed decision-making. Even brief overcorrecting or misjudging a curve can result in a devastating head-on crash.
- Lane Departure Accidents: Marijuana can affect motor coordination and spatial awareness, making it difficult for drivers to stay centered in their lane. A momentary loss of control may cause a vehicle to veer off the road, sideswipe another vehicle, or cross a lane divider without signaling.
- Pedestrian and Bicycle Accidents: Driving high reduces a motorist’s ability to process multiple inputs at once, such as watching for traffic signals while scanning sidewalks or crosswalks. Impaired perception and delayed reflexes increase the risk of failing to yield to pedestrians or misjudging the distance of a cyclist.
Such accidents are completely avoidable if drivers choose to act responsibly. When individuals make reckless choices and drive under the influence, resulting in serious injuries, they bear liability. If you can establish that another driver caused a crash while impaired, they are responsible for compensating you for your losses through their auto insurance.
Civil Liability in Marijuana-Related Crashes
When a driver causes a crash while driving high, they may face not only criminal charges but also civil liability. Victims injured in the collision or surviving family members in fatal cases can file a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit to seek financial compensation. These claims focus on proving that the driver was negligent and that the impairment directly contributed to the accident.
Your drug-driving accident lawyer will need to present evidence of negligence. Evidence in these cases may include police reports, witness statements, toxicology results, and the observations of officers trained to recognize drug impairment. Unlike a criminal case, which requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt, civil liability is based on a “preponderance of the evidence,” meaning it is more likely than not that the driver’s marijuana use caused the crash.
However, if the negligent driver retained a criminal record, the criminal conviction can be strong evidence of negligence. This means you don’t need to prove their actions further to show they are liable. The conviction alone is often enough to hold them responsible, making it easier to pursue your claim.
The at-fault driver is responsible for compensating you for the resulting damages. These can include:
- Medical bills
- Lost income
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium
- Wrongful death benefits
- Punitive damages
Your personal injury attorney will evaluate your claim and determine the financial resources needed to reclaim your life. They will negotiate fiercely with insurers or take your case to court to secure a more substantial settlement that reflects your suffering.
Seek Assistance from a Drugged Driving Accident Lawyer Today
Driving high is dangerous and has been proven to increase the risk of car accidents. The slowed reflexes, impaired judgment, or distorted perception of drug-impaired drivers pose a serious threat to everyone on the road. If a drugged driver has caused injuries to you or a loved one, you can seek recovery through a personal injury claim. Consult your accident injury lawyer in Jacksonville to explore your legal options and seek your rightful financial recovery.