This article discusses the dangers of driving under the influence of marijuana, particularly after a fatal crash that killed six high school girls in Oklahoma.This article discusses the dangers of driving under the influence of marijuana, particularly after a fatal crash that killed six high school girls in Oklahoma. The article begins with a statement from the Chairman of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), who urges parents to warn teens about the risks of driving under the influence of marijuana. The NTSB’s final report on the crash concluded that the 16-year-old driver was under the influence of marijuana and distracted by her five teenage passengers, which contributed to the collision. The article highlights studies that have shown marijuana reduces motor coordination, slows reaction time, and impairs judgment of time and distance, all crucial functions for driving. Despite its legalization for recreational use in many states, the NTSB emphasizes that driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal in all states and Washington, D.C. The NTSB issued a safety alert urging parents to talk to young drivers about the dangers of marijuana and how to avoid driving under its influence. Some states have lagged behind in addressing the risks associated with marijuana legalization and enforcing laws against driving under its influence. The NTSB recommends developing educational programs to inform students about the dangers of marijuana and implementing stricter enforcement measures. The article also notes that a study in Washington state found an increase in the number of fatal crashes involving drivers who tested positive for marijuana use after its legalization. In the Tishomingo crash, a blood sample from the driver indicated a high probability of recent cannabis use, and there were signs of marijuana buds and e-cigarette mouthpieces in the car. The NTSB recommends that Oklahoma State Department of Education develop a drug and alcohol abuse curriculum for students and urges other organizations to inform their members about the need for increased awareness and education. The article concludes with a call from the safety organization to eradicate drunk driving and emphasizes the importance of educating children about the risks of using marijuana while driving. It also encourages readers to stay informed and support independent journalism.
DETROIT (AP) — A horrific crash that killed six Oklahoma high school girls two years ago has prompted the chairman of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board to urge parents to warn teens about the risks of driving after using marijuana.
Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy made an appeal to parents Thursday as her agency released its final report into the March 22, 2022, collision between a small Chevrolet Spark hatchback and a gravel hauler in the town of Tishomingo.
After an investigation by its staff, the board concluded that the crash was caused by the 16-year-old driver slowing down at an intersection and then accelerating at a stop sign, likely because she was under the influence of recent marijuana use and distracted by the five teenage passengers in the car, the NTSB report said.
In an interview, Homendy also said the cannabis problem isn’t limited to teens. As more states have legalized recreational marijuana, teens and adults are underestimating the risks of drunk driving.
“There is a perception that in states where it is legal, it is safe and legal to drive under the influence of marijuana,” she said.
In its report on the accident, the NTSB cited studies showing that marijuana reduces motor coordination, slows reaction time, and impairs judgment of time and distance, all important functions of driving.
Currently, it is legal for people 21 and older to use marijuana recreationally in 24 states plus Washington, D.C., according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Oklahoma does not allow recreational use, but like most states, it is legal for medical purposes. Driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal in all states and Washington, D.C.
The NTSB, which investigates traffic accidents but has no regulatory authority, issued a safety alert Thursday urging parents to talk to young drivers about how marijuana can impair driving and how they can make responsible choices to avoid driving under the influence or riding with drunk drivers.
Homendy said states that have legalized marijuana are lagging behind in making sure people know it’s illegal to drive under the influence. More than half of Americans live in states where recreational cannabis use is legal, she said.
“Unfortunately, I think state laws legalizing recreational and medicinal marijuana really came before any thoughts or actions on what they’re going to do about traffic safety,” Homendy said. “They’re way ahead of the curve on legalizing it, but way behind on traffic safety.”
She said states should collect more data on the impact of marijuana legalization on road safety and enforce laws against driving under the influence of cannabis.
“Enforcement is necessary to deter,” she said.
A study of crashes in Washington state, where recreational marijuana use has been legalized, found that more drivers involved in fatal crashes tested positive for marijuana after its use was legalized, the NTSB said.
In Tishomingo, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) southeast of Oklahoma City, six high school girls got into the car that was supposed to carry four people for a lunch break, the NTSB report said.
At an intersection, the driver slowed to 1 mph (1.6 kilometers per hour), but accelerated and did not stop completely for a traffic sign. Instead, she accelerated and turned left in front of the gravel truck. The truck driver braked and steered to avoid the Spark, but struck the driver’s side at just under 50 mph (80 kilometers per hour). All six teens died from multiple blunt force injuries.
Tests on blood taken from the driver’s body showed a THC concentration of 95.9 nanograms per milliliter, the NTSB said. If that level of THC, the main chemical component of marijuana, were found in a living person, it would indicate “a high probability that the individual had used cannabis very recently and was therefore likely still experiencing acute, impairing cannabis effects,” the report said.
However, the NTSB warned that blood samples from body cavities can sometimes be contaminated with other body fluids or with THC from other tissues, including the lungs, which can contain high concentrations.
Additionally, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol found e-cigarette mouthpieces and cannabis buds in the car at the crash scene, the report said.
The NTSB recommended in the report that the Oklahoma State Department of Education develop a drug and alcohol abuse curriculum for local school districts that educates students about the risks of driving under the influence of marijuana. Currently, only Massachusetts and Rhode Island have such course requirements, the NTSB said.
The agency also wants the Governors Highway Safety Association, a group of state traffic safety officials, the National Conference of State Legislatures and the National Association of State Boards of Education to inform their members about the Tishomingo crash and the need for cannabis information in school and driver education.
The safety organization said in a statement that driving under the influence of cannabis is a growing safety problem and that road safety agencies are focused on eradicating drunk driving.
“We need to communicate to children well in advance that driving, ingesting, smoking or inhaling marijuana is harmful and poses a risk to them and to others,” Homendy said.
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