New AAA research is hoping to understand what motivates cannabis consumers to drive under the influence.
In the United States – where some form of cannabis consumption is legal in 38 states – it is the third most commonly used substance, following nicotine and alcohol.
According to the AAA, with the rise in cannabis use, this form of impaired driving has become more common, leading to a heightened risk of crashes, injuries, and fatalities.
The organization conducted two separate but complementary studies. One to analyze cannabis consumers’ thoughts, perceptions, and reasons for driving under the influence, and the second to develop messages that might deter this behavior in the future.
The research findings included that unlike alcohol, cannabis affects drivers in complex ways that are not easily quantified and although impairment detection due to cannabis is not as straightforward as with alcohol, police are still able to identify cannabis impairment.
The AAA said combatting impaired driving needs to be multifaceted – employing policy, enforcement, environmental strategies, and health information, all to improve public safety.
“Understanding what motivates cannabis consumers to drive under the influence can be helpful in developing effective safety strategies,” said Dr David Yang, president and executive director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
“With insights on perceptions, decision-making, and behavior, we aim to inform policies and interventions that make our roads safer for everyone.”
