A recent study has revealed that teens are just as likely to drive under the influence of marijuana as alcohol. With as many as 9,000 16- and 17-year-old drivers getting behind the wheel of a car each day, the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) is working with Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) to warn parents of the prevalence and dangers of drugged and drunk driving.
Driving-age teenagers have the highest overall crash rates of any age group, and traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for 15- to 20-year-olds. Drug and alcohol use compound teens' crash risks. Research shows that 13 percent of high school seniors reported driving while high on marijuana. That's nearly equivalent to those who reported driving drunk (14 percent), even though far more teens report using alcohol (17 percent) than marijuana (7 percent) in the last 30 days. Additionally, one-third of high school seniors said that in the last two weeks, they drove after drinking heavily or using drugs, or rode in a car whose driver had been drinking heavily or using drugs.
"Parents need to realize that drugged driving is nearly as common today among teens as drunk driving," said Scott Burns, Deputy Director, National Drug Control Policy. "Marijuana impairs many of the skills required for safe driving, such as concentration, coordination, perception, and reaction time, and these effects can last up to 24 hours after using. It is critical that parents know the dangers associated with drugged driving and are vigilant in monitoring their teen drivers."
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