According to recently revealed data, states in the United States with medical marijuana laws have reduced rates of reckless driving and auto accidents.
The information comes from a Health Economics study that examined insurance data and patterns from automakers in the US from 2014 to 2019.
Because there were fewer automobile accidents on the road, the study’s authors discovered that insurance prices decreased in states with medical marijuana programs.
According to the study, premiums decreased by about $22 USD yearly when states legalized their medical marijuana programs. Researchers hypothesize that this is due to the fact that there are less auto accidents and drunk driving incidents in these jurisdictions because drivers are using alcohol instead of cannabis.
According to research authors, “Medical cannabis legalization has decreased vehicle insurance premiums by US$1.5 billion in all states that have currently legalized, with the potential to further reduce rates by US$900 million if the remaining states were to legalize.”
While it is dangerous to drive while high and should be avoided, it is interesting to consider how legalizing marijuana would reduce drunk driving. According to statistics, drunk driving causes 10,000 fatalities annually, or just under 30% of all road fatalities.
The phenomena of driving while high is complex, and the existing data contains contradictory information. Cannabis definitely impacts people’s emotions and ability to think properly, but more research is needed to determine how marijuana affects drivers and auto accidents.
