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The risk of drug impaired driving following the legalization of cannabis is something many Canadians are worried about, a recent study conducted by Desjardins has found.
The majority of the survey’s respondents – 86% – said that they are worried about drug impaired driving. Anticipation for the legalization of cannabis was also considerable, the survey found, as 75% of participants also said that they are concerned with progress in crucial areas like legislation, testing and awareness.
Most of the respondents – 71% – said that they are expecting an increase in impaired driving when cannabis becomes legal, while 77% said that they are still worried that there has not been enough driver education on the topic.
Citing data from the Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF), Desjardins noted that the percentage of fatally injured drivers who tested positive for cannabis increased to 20.9% in 2015 from 15.9% in 2000.
When asked which age group is most associated with cannabis-impaired driving, an overwhelming 90% of respondents singled out the 16-34 age group.
TIRF’s data revealed that in 2015, the two biggest age brackets for fatally injured drivers who tested positive for marijuana were 16-19-year-old drivers (32.1%) and 20-34-year-old drivers (35.9%).
Notably, Desjardins discovered that 81% of respondents believe that there is a lack of tools and resources necessary to identify marijuana-impaired drivers.
“As a leading insurer, committed to our communities, we have concerns regarding any form of impaired driving,” said Desjardins General Insurance Group president and chief operating officer Denis Dubois. “Cannabis and drugs can impair your ability to stay focused and alert on the road. It endangers yourself and others and we firmly support laws against its consumption while behind the wheel.”
