A study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that an alarming 56 percent of drivers who were involved in crashes that resulted in either serious or fatal injuries tested positive for at least one drug in their system at the time of the accident.
The study examined crash data collected from trauma centers around the country. In its conclusion, the researchers stressed that there is no way to drive safely if impaired. The high risk of crashes is one reason why it’s illegal everywhere in America to drive under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, opioids, methamphetamines, or any potentially impairing drug, prescribed or over the counter. Call our office to speak with a Virginia Beach car accident lawyer if you have been injured.
There is no denying that drugs have become a serious issue in this country, to the point of being labeled an epidemic. According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 12 million people aged 16 years of age and older report that they have driven while under the influence of marijuana during the prior 12 months. More than two million admit to driving while under the influence of illicit drugs other than marijuana during the same time frame.
Effects of Drugs While Behind the Wheel
Driving under the influence significantly impacts a person’s ability to operate that vehicle safely. The effects a drug has on a person depends on the type of drug it is.
Alcohol and marijuana cause a driver to have slower reaction times, slower coordination, and judgment issues. Cocaine and methamphetamine often cause drivers to become more reckless and more aggressive behind the wheel. Combining two or more drugs can result in any of the effects being amplified.
Drug effects do not only apply to illegal substances. Both prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs can cause drowsiness, dizziness, and other dangerous side effects.
Drugged Driving Crashes
A driver who gets behind the wheel of a vehicle while under the influence of opioids is just as dangerous as one who gets behind the wheel drunk. Even more alarming is that many police around the country are reporting astronomical spikes in the incidents of drivers who overdose while driving. When a driver is overdosing because of the opioid in their system, the vehicle is being driven by no one, plowing toward other vehicles and pedestrians.
Call Our Personal Injury Law Firm for Help
At Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp, we are dedicated to holding impaired drivers accountable for their actions. We are determined they will pay the financial damages for the losses our clients have suffered, including medical expenses, loss of income, pain and suffering, emotional anguish, disfigurement, and permanent disability, like the $3.5 million jury award we obtained for our client who suffered irreversible brain damage and incurred physical disabilities when a drunk driver hit her car head-on. Contact our office today for a free case evaluation with one of our seasoned Virginia Beach drugged driving accident lawyers.
For your convenience, we have offices in Virginia Beach, Hampton, Portsmouth, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Suffolk, and Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.