After a number of fatal automobile accidents involving drivers testing positive for cannabis during the pandemic in the United States, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), Responsibility.org, and the National Alliance to Stop Impaired Driving (NASID) released a new report that provides guidance on how State Highway Safety Offices (SHSOs) can better communicate with cannabis consumers and advance traffic safety outreach.
Cannabis Use Statistics And Safety Drivers
Since recreational cannabis became legal in some states, its use has increased significantly. "In 2019, 18% of people aged 12 and older in the U.S. reported using cannabis in the past year, up from 11% in 2002," according to the GHSA.
As cannabis becomes more popular and the call for federal legalization increases, it is extremely necessary for drivers who use cannabis to drive safely, hence the need for effective public outreach and education.
A survey by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that "95% of people say driving above the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit is very or extremely dangerous, but only 69% believe driving is dangerous within the first hour of using cannabis."
According to the NHTSA, cannabis use is playing a growing role in road traffic deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic. "33% of drivers involved in fatal crashes had tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in their system, a significant increase from 21% before the pandemic," indicated an NHTSA report.
"Cannabis was slightly more prevalent than alcohol in drivers involved in fatal crashes (33% for cannabis vs. 29% for alcohol) during the pandemic," the NHTSA report continued “Multi-substance impairment has also increased in recent years, with 25% of drivers in fatal crashes testing positive for more than one harmful substance, up from 18% before the pandemic.”
Cannabis Users And Safe Driving: Guidelines For Responsible Use
Some people think that using cannabis improves their driving. However, research confirms that "cannabis may directly affect the parts of the brain responsible for attention, decision-making, coordination, and reaction time, which are essential for safe driving." This is where the new report appears to clarify the picture a bit.
“As legal cannabis use becomes more widespread in the U.S., motorists need to know the dangers of driving under the influence,” said GHSA executive director Jonathan Adkins. “But that message won’t be heard if it’s outdated, irrelevant, or insulting to cannabis consumers. This new report offers a playbook to help states develop messaging that resonates with cannabis users and prompts them to refrain from driving for their own safety and the safety of everyone else on the road.”
The new report, "Cannabis Users and Safe Driving: Messages of Responsible Use," highlights how Colorado and Washington, the first states to legalize cannabis, as well as Connecticut and Wyoming, learned from outreach efforts.
It also discusses promising practices that all SHSOs should consider using to create the most effective messages, and offers the following recommendations:
- Encourage dedicated funding for traffic safety programs derived from a portion of cannabis sales tax revenue so that states and their partners can deliver timely and relevant information to the public.
- Form partnerships with the cannabis industry, which can help states gain insights into consumer motivations and behaviors, develop and deliver impactful messaging, and legitimize safety efforts.
- Enlist trusted advisors to serve as messengers. Have people and institutions that cannabis users trust – rather than government representatives – convey factual safe driving messages. Diverse and non-traditional messengers can improve message reception with cannabis consumers.
- Use language that resonates with cannabis consumers, so they hear the safe driving message instead of tuning it out because it has outdated terminology. Avoid using unflattering or alienating stereotypes of cannabis consumers.
“Impaired driving, whether it involves alcohol, cannabis, other drugs, or a combination of substances, is wreaking havoc on our nation’s roads, and we all must respond quickly and effectively,” said Darrin Grondel, Ed.D., VP of Government Relations and Traffic Safety for Responsibility.org and director of NASID.
“The messages, strategies, data, and approaches identified in this new report will make that response more effective in positively changing cannabis consumer behavior to the benefit of every American on our nation’s roadways.”
Last week, the findings and recommendations of the report were discussed during a session at the 2022 NASID Conference, in Washington, DC, featuring Karen Sprattler of the Sprattler Group, who researched and wrote the report.
Finally, the NASID website features an interactive, online database updated in real-time that lets users easily see cannabis and DUI laws across the U.S.
Photo: Courtesy Of Andras Vas On Unsplash
