What’s more dangerous: driving under the influence of alcohol or marijuana?
The lights are flashing behind you. You’ve just been pulled over and a cloud of anxiety sets in. Not even 30 minutes ago you smoked marijuana at your friend’s house. You soon find yourself completing field sobriety exercises by a police officer to determine if you are driving under the influence of a controlled substance.
Let’s be frank: we do not suggest that you should drink and drive or smoke and drive. However, the fact is that inevitably people will do both. While a driver is under the influence in both instances, which do you consider being more dangerous: marijuana or alcohol?
How to determine if someone is drinking and smoking while driving?
More than one million Americans each year are arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. That is A LOT of people. To be found driving under the influence, the State of Florida requires that your blood alcohol content be at least 0.08%.
There are two ways to be found driving under the influence: through a blood alcohol test using a breathalyzer instrument and through field sobriety exercises. Only one method is required to prove someone is driving under the influence.
Can you pass Field Sobriety Exercises?
Interestingly enough, police officer field sobriety tests catch all but 10% of drivers who drive under the influence of alcohol according to a recent study. This statistic is much different from marijuana where 70% of drivers who are under the influence of marijuana are not caught through a field sobriety test.
Can you pass a breath test while on marijuana?
A police officer can easily identify a drunk driver and test them using a breathalyzer instrument. However, currently, there is no reliable way to test how high a person is using a similar type of instrument.
Several private companies are attempting to create a THC breathalyzer instrument that would be able to measure an individual’s THC content. This would in turn tell how “high” the driver is on marijuana. As of 2017, there is no reliable machine to do that.
How many accidents are connected to marijuana and alcohol?
The centers for disease control and prevention suggested that one out of every three accidents were caused by alcohol impairment. A study in 2010 in the Public Health Reports found 11% of drivers who were killed in accidents had taken at least one type of drug. Additionally, studies suggest that 10,000 people die each year for accidents involving alcohol-impaired drivers. However, it is still a mystery what percentages of drugs are marijuana. Moreover, ccdlaw.com provides some insight on impaired driving crash statistics here.
How to determine if someone is drinking and smoking while driving?
More than one million Americans each year are arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. That is A LOT of people. To be found driving under the influence, the State of Florida requires that your blood alcohol content be at least 0.08%.
Don’t Be Driving under the Influence of Alcohol or Marijuana!
It’s simple: we advise all of our clients not to drive under the influence of alcohol or marijuana. We suggest that the cost of a taxi, uber, or a friend coming to pick you up can save you from potential personal injuries and criminal offenses. If you or a loved one has been drinking and driving or smoking, talk to one of our experienced attorneys today. Free Consultations by calling (772) 589-5500.