What's Worse: Driving Drunk Or Driving High?

Comparing the dangers of drunk driving to smoking weed while operating a vehicle isn’t as elementary as it would seem. This is because the level of impairment depends largely on dosage since each substance affects different driving capabilities.

Smoking marijuana or any cannabis product while driving can cause a driver to be unable to perform menial tasks like staying in the right lane.

On the other hand, driving while drunk is considered hazardous behavior as alcohol suppresses one’s ability to act quickly and rationally in time-sensitive situations like taking note of traffic signs or giving way to pedestrians.

Getting intoxicated while driving is a bad idea regardless of the substance involved. However, choosing to munch on some edibles or smoke a joint while driving comes with its own set of risks. This is because Cannabis affects the brain directly and the exact quantity it becomes dangerous is still yet to be determined.

Inversely, with alcohol, certain quantities are expected to cause drivers to behave poorly. This cannot be said for Cannabis, which makes it tricky to assess how much is too much, hence the reason why drivers are discouraged from indulging in either substance entirely.

Why Is Drunk Driving So Dangerous

Drivers are discouraged from drinking while driving due to the startling number of road fatalities that occur annually due to drunk drivers. Drunk drivers would find it difficult to drive safely since alcohol, like most controlled substances, has a negative effect on reaction time, judgment, and self-control, all of which are crucial when operating a vehicle.

In some instances, consuming less than 0.08 grams of alcohol can cause drivers to behave erratically, drive above the legal limit and react slowly to unexpected obstacles, putting themselves and other road users at risk. Needless to say, it’s best to avoid driving after drinking alcohol, no matter how little. If you have to go out urgently, you might as well call a cab or get a designated driver to take you instead, mind you, the person has to be sober.

All You Need To Know About Drunk Driving?

Operating any kind of vehicle after drinking alcohol is against the law and is treated as a severe offense. The act of driving while under the influence of any alcoholic substance is popularly referred to as a DUI. It’s illegal to drive when your blood alcohol content is up to 0.08%.

However, consuming less alcohol can at times lead to unsafe driving behavior. It’s not always evident when a driver is intoxicated by alcohol. However, there’s no guarantee that they won’t road rage at any moment, which is why it’s so dangerous.

The percentage of people who are most likely to drink and drive are those dealing with alcohol use disorder. People struggling with this issue are often able to consume large quantities of alcohol in almost no time, which is not only unhealthy but can be very dangerous should they choose to drive in such a state.

It usually takes around 40 minutes to two hours for the effects of alcohol to kick in since that’s the amount of time it takes for it to be absorbed into the bloodstream. Once this happens, cognitive skills are significantly delayed, and breathing slows considerably, affecting a driver’s ability to operate a vehicle properly.

Alcoholism is a condition that must never be taken lightly due to the driving impairment risks that come with it. In most cases, a specialized treatment center is necessary to stand a chance against it. If you’re struggling to put away this habit or know someone who is, you must call a treatment provider who will then inform you of rehab facilities closest to you and guide you on what steps you should take.

Statistics On Drunk Driving Accidents

Drunk driving accidents are among the top causes of death in the US. Unfortunately, such accidents often involve drivers aged between 16 and 24. According to experts, adult drivers with blood alcohol concentration levels of 0.08 grams and above are 7 times more likely to be the cause of fatal road accidents.

It’s pretty simple. Consuming more significant quantities of alcohol increases driving impairment and the possibility of being involved in an accident. In the year 2019, over 10,000 fatalities were recorded due to drunk driving accidents. Close to 2,000 road users lost their lives in alcohol-related car crashes in 2018. In almost all of the recorded accidents, the at-fault drivers were found to have 0.07% blood alcohol concentration.

Choosing to get behind the wheel after knocking back a cold one or several of them is practically asking to be in an accident. Teenage drivers are at a higher risk of being involved in car crashes whether or not they drive drunk, although choosing to drink and drive exacerbates the issue.

Always keep in mind that consuming even the smallest quantity of alcohol can lead to reckless driving. For your safety and that of other road users, under no circumstance must you drive after drinking due to the increased risk of an accident, instead feel free to use any of the many public transportation options available to you.

The Dangers Drunk Drivers Pose On The Road

There’s a 50/50 chance that your driving skill won’t be a hundred percent after consuming any substance with alcoholic content. The effect of alcohol is not always the same for each person. However, this doesn’t negate the safety risks, which can either be death or injury.

To drive safely, a driver must be able to react accordingly to driving conditions, make sound judgments, and concentrate on the road. However, the chances of being able to do all of these are drastically reduced with the presence of alcohol in the system.

The following are the negative impacts of alcohol on safe driving skills:

1. Lack Of Coordination

Drinking heavily while driving is dangerous because consuming large amounts of alcohol affects hand and foot coordination and the ability to concentrate. Drivers lacking necessary coordination skills due to alcohol consumption are unlikely to avoid impending danger on the road.

Some indicators of reduced coordination are muscle spasms and the inability to walk in a straight line or stand straight. Some drivers find locating their vehicle’s ignition challenging, while others need help getting into their vehicles after drinking too much alcohol. One can only imagine the havoc such drivers would cause if no one stops them from driving.

2. Slow Reaction Time

When alcohol is introduced into the system, it limits one’s ability to respond to different situations. It also minimizes reaction time considerably, which is one of the significant causes of road accidents. For instance, if a pedestrian attempts to cross the road all of a sudden or the vehicle in front of you stops without warning, it would take twice as long for the brain to process the situation, which increases the chances of an accident.

3. Decreased Vision

Complete awareness of road conditions is massively essential when operating a vehicle. However, excessive amounts of alcohol in the system can hinder this significantly. Although it varies with each person, vision tends to blur after consuming a certain quantity of alcohol. Some even find it difficult to keep their gaze on a spot.

Driving with impaired eyesight will affect a driver’s ability to judge the distance between their vehicles and other drivers in their proximity. It’s best to avoid driving after having a drink, especially if you find it difficult to tell the distance between yourself and the objects around you and/or if your vision is blurry.

4. Inhibited Judgement

The brain is responsible for interpreting any situation we find ourselves in. It also determines how we respond. A driver is bound to make bad driving decisions or drive above the legal limit when their judgment is clouded by alcohol use. This is because the need to stay focused on the road and genuine concern for one’s safety is downplayed considerably.

5. Reduced Concentration

Alcohol tends to affect concentration regardless of how much or little the quantity consumed. Most people fail to realize how much their concentration has dwindled until someone points it out. Since driving demands undivided attention, getting behind the wheel while drunk is a very bad idea as it dramatically increases the chances of speeding, swerving into the wrong lane, and engaging in other unsafe behaviors.

The Impact Of Blood Alcohol Concentration On Your Ability To Drive Safely

It’s illegal to operate a vehicle in the US with a BAC of 0.08%. This is because blood alcohol levels along this range often result in impaired driving, which can be fatal. Since the effects of alcohol don’t take long to manifest, always avoid driving after having a drink, no matter the circumstance. Not only will this ensure your safety, but it will also keep you from having to face legal repercussions.

Below are some examples of how blood alcohol concentration levels influence driving capability:

BAC of 0.02

Having a 0.02% BAC level usually leads to decreased peripheral functionality, impaired judgment, inability to operate a moving vehicle, and apt attention to the road at the same time, mood swings, and increased temperature.

BAC of 0.05

Having a 0.05% BAC level often leads to slowed response rate, poor judgment, lack of coordination, muscle spasms, and exaggerated behavior. All of these inhibitions are a recipe for disaster when combined with driving.

BAC of 0.08

A BAC level of 0.08% affects overall driving ability as it minimizes one’s ability to process information, affects concentration, leads to temporary memory loss, and affects a driver’s awareness of speed.

BAC of 0.10

Some of the effects of having a 0.10% blood alcohol content level include slurred speech, reduced ability to control a vehicle, slow reaction time, and difficulty keeping a vehicle in the appropriate lane.

BAC of 0.15

A blood alcohol content level of 0.15% is hazardous when combined with driving as the impairments are quite severe. Some of them include impaired auditory and visual information processing ability, loss of balance, nausea, short attention span, and very little muscle control.

The Dangers Of Smoking Cannabis And Driving?

Drivers are discouraged from driving while high as marijuana-impaired driving exposes them and other road users to serious safety risks. The dangers are significantly increased with larger doses of THC in the driver’s system.

Stoned drivers will often drive in the wrong lane, respond slowly to traffic lights and stop signs and have very little consideration for their driving speed. Data from various epidemiological studies state that motorists with high blood THC concentration levels are most likely to cause road accidents than sober drivers.

Epidemiological Studies On Cannabis Use And Road Accidents

Marijuana legalization, the ever-increasing availability of the drug, relatively affordable prices, social acceptability, increased potency, and the fact that about a third of the young population in the US are beginning to use it at a relatively young age has led to widespread Cannabis disorders. When drivers who are dependent on this drug get behind the wheel, odds are they would feel the urge to smoke, making them susceptible to unsafe driving behavior.

As inappropriate as it sounds, teenagers and young adults are most commonly involved in road accidents stemming from marijuana use than any other age group. Data from the National Center For Statistics and Analysis show that the fatality rate for teen drivers is five times higher than for drivers aged between 30 to 70. Also, drivers below the age of 25 are responsible for a quarter of fatal road crashes in the US.

Some of the major contributing factors to fatal road accident statistics include driving at night while stoned and smoking while operating an unfamiliar vehicle.

Statistics On Car Accidents Caused By Marijuana Impaired Driving

In the year 2002, The National Survey On Drug Use and Health as well as the National Institute Of Road Safety reported that over 21 million Americans struggle with substance abuse.

Marijuana is believed to be one of the most abused drugs in the United States, having been tried at some point by over 38% of the population. Recreational use of Marijuana while driving remains a great source of concern to traffic regulating bodies in the country because its effects work in direct contrast with safe driving skills even when taken in moderate doses.

Over the past decade, crash rates involving the use of Marijuana and other psychoactive drugs have been on the rise due to the legalization and widespread social acceptance of the drug. Recent US Road safety statistical data show a 9 to 22% increase in traffic fatalities involving high drivers from the year 2000 to 2018, which is the exact opposite of recorded road fatalities caused by alcohol use which remained the same.

Why Smoking Behind The Wheels Is Immensely Distracting

Smoking affects the perception of speed and time, concentration, response time, and the ability to apply acquired knowledge. More than 50 driving studies conducted to determine the effects of cannabis suggest that it impairs driving performance, the ability to perform the different skills necessary for safe driving, and encourages risk-taking behavior. From visual function and tracking down to vehicle coordination, all of which are crucial to road safety.

1. Manual Distraction

This is one of the first stages of distraction drivers who smoke behind the wheel undergo. To be able to smoke while driving, at least one hand must be taken off the wheel to pick out a cigarette. Doing this doesn’t pose as much of a safety risk on roads with minimal traffic. However, it can prove a bit difficult to manage on busy highways.

In addition to this, you’ll also need to factor in the time it would take to direct the cigarette toward your lip and light it before you can begin smoking. In some situations lighting a cigarette requires two hands, which translates into taking the hands off the steering wheel. Although it might only take a moment to light the cigarettes and assume control of the steering wheel, it’s simply not worth the risk due to the chances of a collision.

2. Visual Distraction

Some people who smoke, especially those who have been doing it for quite some time, believe they’re so used to it that they can do it without looking at their cigarettes. While this might be true, even the most experienced smokers still need to light their joints, which means they’ll have to look at it either way. They might also feel the need to look at their joint every once in a while to see how much of it is left.

Besides this, several studies suggest that a driver might not be able to resist the urge to pick out another cigarette after finishing the one they started with, meaning the driver would have to fumble through the pack of cigarettes to pick a single one that will most certainly cause them to lose focus of the road.

Within the time the driver’s gaze is taken off the road, a vehicle could pull out in front of them, and the driver in front could decide to stop all of a sudden. The situation could be even worse if the driver happens to be in a residential neighborhood and a child suddenly runs into traffic.

3. Cognitive Distraction

Smoking and operating a vehicle is a form of cognitive distraction. People who engage in this act are bound to have their attention divided between the cigarette and the road, which is very unsafe since many of such drivers aren’t able to multitask effectively.

As if driving while high isn’t unsafe as it is, some drivers like to hold their breath for some time after taking a drag of their cigarettes. Unknown to such drivers, their attention is mostly taken off the road and focused on retaining the smoke in their mouths, which is very risky as every second is critical when driving. When a driver’s attention is divided, his or her mind can easily wander, which is even worse.

Cognitive distractions are arguably the most dangerous type of distraction on the road because most people fail to realize that they are being distracted until they crash into another vehicle, unexpected obstacles, or pedestrians.

h2(#drunk-driving-vs.-driving-high-the-final-verdict). Drunk Driving Vs. Driving High (The Final Verdict)

It’s evident that cannabis influences one’s driving ability, which makes the driver in question twice as likely to be involved in an accident. Inversely, the possibility of a crash is demonstrably worse when a driver is intoxicated by alcohol. Recent crash report statistics show that drivers in their twenties and within the acceptable 0.08 blood alcohol content limit are still 3 times more likely to cause road accidents compared to sober drivers.

The real difference in the outcome of driving drunk and driving high rests in how cannabis users behave when driving. Drunk drivers are known to act irrationally and speed when the effects of alcohol kick in. However, drivers affected by Cannabis intoxication tend to play it safe and rarely surpass speed limits.

Final Words

Most studies carried out in the US have shown that stoned driving is no better than drunk driving. While some other studies cited some potential benefits of smoking and also suggest that driving while high isn’t quite as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol since high drivers often drive at slow speeds, it’s not entirely true. For safety reasons, it’s best not to drive if your sobriety is in question or combine alcohol with marijuana or other drugs as the combined effects of these two drugs often lead to fatal car crashes.