The AAA has released some sobering statistics when it comes to driving high - almost 15 millions Americans have done it in the past 30 days. Taking a closer look at the AAA's findings, the New York Post hits upon what may be driving such high numbers; almost 70% of respondents believe that they are unlikely to be caught driving high by the police.
"Drunk driving has declined by 50 percent since MADD was founded in 1980... However, millions of drivers are toking weed instead and seven percent of survey respondents said they had no problem driving after smoking marijuana."
It's interesting that these findings exist alongside findings that show drunk driving is still declining, and it likely points to a discrepancy in coverage. Since the 80s, organizations like MADD have worked tirelessly to ensure that people understand how dangerous drunk driving is. While similar organizations have certainly done the same for driving while high, that message has not received the same coverage. As more and more states move towards potentially legalizing marijuana use, better education and more emphasis is going to be critical in conveying that, when it comes to driving, any intoxication is dangerous.
For more of the New York Post's coverage, check out their article.