Know About Effect of Marijuana on Driving

By | January 11, 2011

THC drug test has to be conducted on employees especially in transportation department. A fail in conducting marijuana drug test may result in accidents. Marijuana has a lot of adverse effects on driving.

Skills such as alertness, ability of concentration, coordination, and reaction time are essential for safe driving. These may be affected by the use of marijuana. The effects can be seen up to 24 hours after consumption of the drug. Judging distances, reaction to signals and sounds on the road are also affected by use of marijuana. Sometimes people use marijuana along with alcohol. Consumption of such drugs can result in much serious hazards in driving. It was also found that the consumption of marijuana resulted in crashes.

The effect of marijuana usage on driving is based on certain factors such as mechanism of action, amount consumed, history of user, and other factors. The attentiveness and perception of time and speed may be affected by consuming marijuana. All these effects are seen because certain areas of brain which control movement of body, balance, coordination, memory, and sensations are affected by THC. This results in alteration of perception, cognition, balance, coordination, attention and other faculties.

The impairment of behavioral and cognitive skills related to performance of driving are based on the level or amount of drug consumed. Many accidents may be caused by consumption of the drug. Use of illicit drugs by drivers results in a number of motor vehicle crashes, reckless driving, and fatal accidents. So Drug testingshould be made mandatory for finding marijuana abused drivers. Certain programs have to be conducted to educate drivers regarding the effects of marijuana. They have to be controlled by conducting frequent marijuana tests. This may help in reduction of drug usage as well as accidents.