The latest report from the Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF) has found that the percentage of cannabis use among fatally-injured drivers in Canada increased between 2000 and 2014.
The report was based on data from TIRF’s National Fatality Database, which is maintained with financial support from State Farm Canada and the Public Health Agency.
Results reveal that since 2000, the percentage of fatally injured drivers who tested positive for marijuana increased, while the percentage of fatally injured drivers testing positive for alcohol decreased.
Almost 35% of fatally injured drivers in 2000 tested positive for alcohol, compared to 12% who tested positive for marijuana, TIRF’s National Fatality Database noted. However, the percentage for alcohol-positive fatally injured drivers had declined to 28% by 2014, while the percentage of marijuana-positive drivers increased to nearly 19%.
The results varied by age group, the report found. Cannabis was the drug most commonly detected among 16-19 and 20-34 year-old fatally injured drivers (29.8% and 27.2%, respectively). Fatally injured drivers in older age categories were more likely to test positive for other drug types – notably Central Nervous System (CNS) depressants (18.1% among 35-64 year-old drivers and 26.3% among drivers 65 and older).
“What we see is an increasing percentage of fatally injured drivers in Canada who tested positive for marijuana in recent years whereas the percentage who tested positive for alcohol is decreasing,” explained TIRF research associate Dr. Woods-Fry. “While the percent is still higher for alcohol today, if current trends continue, marijuana might become more prevalent among fatally injured drivers.”
“Twenty one per cent (21%) of drivers dying in weekend crashes tested positive for marijuana versus 17% in weekday crashes,” added TIRF president and CEO Robyn Robertson, citing data from the report. “In comparison, 46% of fatally injured drivers in weekend crashes tested positive for alcohol versus 26% in weekday crashes.”
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