Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Maryland is known to be a dangerous act that can cause an accident with personal injury and death. Still, people tend to categorize what it means to be “driving under the influence” and will downplay the danger of driving after smoking marijuana. A recent survey from AAA says that many people across the nation do not see driving after having used marijuana to be a major risk. When there is an accident and it is believed that a driver has been smoking marijuana, this can be a key part of a legal filing to be compensated.
According to AAA, 14.8 million drivers stated they drove within an hour after smoking marijuana in the previous month. In addition, almost 70 percent do not believe they will be caught for doing so. The frequency of this behavior differed based on age and gender. There was an 8% percent greater likelihood of males getting behind the wheel after smoking marijuana than females. Regarding age groups, millennials were 14 percent more likely than other groups.
Despite the belief that driving under the influence of marijuana is not dangerous, using the drug will hinder the ability to think about processes, be safe behind the wheel and maintain focus. It will also impact the driver’s reaction time and lead to impaired judgment. There are similarities in the way drivers behave when they are under the influence of alcohol and under the influence of marijuana. They will weave, make lane changes when it is not necessary and lose focus. Many states have legalized marijuana – Maryland is not one of them – and this danger is one of the concerns with potential legalization.
Auto accidents can have a drastic impact on a person’s life. Injuries requiring hospitalization, surgical procedures, rehabilitation and long-term care are possible. There can be lost income from the inability to do the same work as before. Providing companionship to family members can be an issue as the person is no longer the same as he or she was before the personal injury. If the accident occurred because of a driver who was under the influence of marijuana, this can be a vital factor in a successful legal filing. A law firm that understands how to investigate auto accidents and how they happened is an important part of a personal injury lawsuit.
