• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
(914) 220-1086

Law Offices of Thomas L. Gallivan, PLLC

Just another WordPress site

  • Home
  • About
    • Attorney Profiles
      • Daniel F. Gallivan
      • Thomas L. Gallivan
      • James C. Freeman
      • Andrew J. Gilbride
    • Testimonials
  • Practice Areas
    • Personal Injury
      • Car Accident Lawyers
      • Pedestrian Accident Lawyers
      • Slip & Fall Lawyers
      • New York Truck Accident Lawyers
      • Wrongful Death Lawyers
      • Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
      • Uber Accident Lawyers
    • Nursing Home Abuse
      • Bedsores and Pressure Ulcers
      • Bruises and Cuts
      • Elopement
      • Falls & Broken Bones
      • Group Home Abuse
      • Infections
      • Malnutrition
      • Physical Abuse
    • Criminal Defense
    • Medical Malpractice
  • Blog
  • Resources
    • Videos
    • Notable Cases
  • Contact Us
  • Home
  • About
    • Attorney Profiles
      • Daniel F. Gallivan
      • Thomas L. Gallivan
      • James C. Freeman
      • Andrew J. Gilbride
    • Testimonials
  • Practice Areas
    • Personal Injury
      • Car Accident Lawyers
      • Pedestrian Accident Lawyers
      • Slip & Fall Lawyers
      • New York Truck Accident Lawyers
      • Wrongful Death Lawyers
      • Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
      • Uber Accident Lawyers
    • Nursing Home Abuse
      • Bedsores and Pressure Ulcers
      • Bruises and Cuts
      • Elopement
      • Falls & Broken Bones
      • Group Home Abuse
      • Infections
      • Malnutrition
      • Physical Abuse
    • Criminal Defense
    • Medical Malpractice
  • Blog
  • Resources
    • Videos
    • Notable Cases
  • Contact Us
Call
Contact
Blog
Home  /  Personal Injury Law  /  Understanding the Dangers of Driving While High

Understanding the Dangers of Driving While High

by Law Offices of Thomas L. Gallivan, PLLC 25 Apr2022

Two recent articles discussed the dangers of driving while under the influence of cannabis, as well as broader policy discussions surrounding the issue. In the New York Times, a health columnaddressed whether driving while high is as dangerous as driving while drunk. The column argued that the question isn’t quite as clear-cut as drunk driving, which has accounted for an increasing number of car crash-related fatalities in recent years: up from 9% in 2000 to roughly 22% in 2018, even as drunk driving-related fatalities remained more or less steady. 

According to the column, research suggests that, while undeniably risky, stoned driving may be less risky than drunk driving. “In one 2017 examination of more than 4,000 drivers from a police database in France, researchers found that drivers under the influence of alcohol were roughly 17.8 times more likely to be responsible for fatal car crashes than drivers who were sober,” the column notes, “while drivers under the influence of marijuana were 1.65 times more likely to cause deadly accidents.” A 2007 study of car crashes in the US found a slightly higher likelihood of fatal stoned driving incidents, concluding that drivers under the influence of cannabis “were 1.83 times more likely than sober drivers to be involved in a fatal crash.”

However, the Times notes, the data surrounding stoned driving presents challenges, not to mention the data surrounding cannabis itself. Whereas there has long been a medical and popular consensus over the meaning of a drink of alcohol—“12 ounces of regular beer, five ounces of wine and 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits”—there is no such understanding when it comes to cannabis usage, meaning people cannot assess quite as easily how much they’ve consumed, nor whether it’s enough to rule out getting behind the wheels of a car. Similarly, the research into stoned driving-related incidents is complicated by a general reliance on drug testing after car crashes. “But because cannabis can hang around in fatty tissues for up to 28 days,” the Times observes, “a positive drug test does not necessarily mean that a driver was high at the moment they were driving.” To complicate matters further, the form in which the user consumes the cannabis—whether they smoke it or take an edible, for instance—affects how quickly the drug is metabolized, which in turn affects how long they remain high.

A recent public health effort in Colorado has drawn attention to the risks of stoned driving, tying the issue into broader systemic changes needed to mitigate traffic violence. As Streetsblog reported last week, a coalition of traffic safety activists, health officials, and “cannabis industry reps” joined forces in a call for drivers to commit to safe driving during the informal cannabis holiday 4/20, in whose lead-up the state’s cannabis dispensaries reportedly see massive sales spikes. The state has seen a raft of cannabis-related car crash deaths, with the drug “implicated in 37 percent of the Centennial State’s roadway fatalities last year,” according to Streetsblog, which notes this figure’s inherent complexities. Still, the coalition of safety advocates have called for people using cannabis to use ride-sharing or designated while high. A spokesperson for AAA Colorado, meanwhile, argued that more than personal commitments are necessary to reduce the dangers of driving under the influence. “We have built our entire society around the car,” he said, according to Streetsblog. “And if we want to get serious about solving this, we need to… make transit appealing to people who get drunk and high.”

More information on the risks of stoned driving, and recent efforts to mitigate these risks, is available via the New York Times and Streetsblog.

Contact our attorneys to discuss your car accident case.

Posted in: Personal Injury Law, DWI/Criminal, Traffic Accidents

Primary Sidebar

Get In Touch

Practice Areas

Personal Injury

  • Wrongful Death
  • Motor Vehicle Accidents
  • Trucking Accidents
  • Pedestrian Accidents
  • Construction Accidents
  • Scaffolding Accidents
  • Slip, Trip & Falls (Premises Liability)
  • Negligent Supervision at a School or Day Care
  • Sidewalk Falls
  • Elevator Accidents
  • Train and Subway Accidents

Nursing Home Neglect & Abuse

  • Bedsores (Pressure Ulcers)
  • Falls & Fractures
  • Malnutrition and Dehydration
  • Physical and Sexual Abuse
  • Wandering & Elopement
  • Unexplained Bruises and Cuts
  • Infection
  • Choking Incidents
  • Medication Errors
  • Group Homes
  • Assisted Living Facilities

Criminal/DWI Defense

  • DWI (Driving While Intoxicated)
  • Criminal Defense
  • Traffic Violations
  • DMV Refusal Hearings
  • Sex Crimes
  • Shoplifting & Larceny
  • Assault & Vehicular Assault
  • Drug Possession
  • Drug Sales
  • Weapons Charges
  • Domestic Violence
  • How is a DWI Defined in New York?
  • Is the Driver’s License Confiscated Immediately Upon a DWI Arrest?

Medical Malpractice

  • Failure to Diagnose Cancer
  • Birth Injuries (Gynecological, Obstetrical)
  • Medication Errors
  • Surgical Errors
  • Gastric Bypass Surgery Errors
  • Emergency Room Errors
  • Failure to Diagnose Heart Attack or Stroke
  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Erbs Palsy Birth Injury

Trusts + Estates

  • Wills & Trusts
  • Divorce, Child Support, Custody Issues
  • Elder Law
  • Estate Planning
  • Guardianships
  • Medicaid-Planning
  • Power of Attorney / Health Care Proxy
  • Probate and Estate Administration
  • Surrogate Court Litigation
  • Real Estate
  • Business Formation
  • Wills
  • Will Contests

View All Practice Areas

View All Blogs

CLIENT TESTIMONIALS

" Last year I was injured in an accident, and for the first time, needed the advice of an attorney regarding how to proceed. I was referred to Thomas Gallivan through a family member who is a lawyer in Massachusetts. I am beyond pleased with how Thomas handled my case. He was knowledgeable, professional, and although the case was not as straightforward as some, he used every resource to ensure a positive outcome. Thomas communicated with me regularly and I felt completely informed and confident in his ability. He expertly negotiated a fair settlement that I was very happy with. The entire experience was extremely positive, during a stressful time for me. Thank you Thomas. "

Melanie

" Attorney Thomas Gallivan is a wonderful attorney!! I particularly liked his professionalism, consistency, always kept us updated on the case, and available upon request. He worked extremely hard and was persistent on getting the best settlement in a timely matter. I truly appreciated his prompt responsiveness to emails and phone calls. The office staff was very pleasant and made sure to get messages to him asap. Glad we chose this law firm, would highly recommend and in the event that we ever need an attorney again, Gallivan & Gallivan would be my primary choice. "

Katherine R.

" I was a passenger on a motorcycle and ended up falling off the back of the bike due to the driver acting like an idiot. I fell off at a high rate of speed and was very banged up. Fractured wrist and road rash down my back and elbows. I am lucky I didnt die. Not knowing what to do I contacted Thomas and he could not have been anymore helpful!! He went out of his way to meet with me. He actually came to my house for the initial consultation. I know nothing about law or what my options even were. He took me through everything step by step. "

Colin W.

View All Testimonials

245 Main St Suite 450 White Plains, NY 10601

Phone:
(914) 220-1086

Fax:
(516) 394-4229

555 5th Ave 14th Floor
New York, NY 10017

Toll Free:
(855) 228-7369

(By Appointment Only)

1370 RXR Plaza
Uniondale, NY 11556

Phone:
(914) 594-6820

Fax:
(516) 394-4229

12 1st St
Riverhead, NY 11901

Phone:
(914) 825-5855

Fax:
(516) 394-4229

Footer

  • Home
  • About
  • Practice Areas
  • Blog
  • Resources
  • Contact Us

ATTORNEY ADVERTISING

Copyright © 2022, Law Offices of Thomas L. Gallivan, PLLC