April 20 has been known as a holiday for marijuana enthusiasts in Florida and throughout the country since 1992. As marijuana becomes increasingly legal in the United States, researchers wanted to know if there was an increased crash risk on that date. Researchers looked at crash data from 1992 to 2016 on April 20 as well as a day during the previous week and the week after it.
They determined that there was a 12 percent increase in fatal accidents on April 20 compared to the other dates studied. Research has shown that marijuana can impact a driver’s ability to operate a motor vehicle in a safe manner. However, drivers don’t seem to think that it has any impact on them. It is important to note that it is not clear if the increased accident rate on April 20 is because of marijuana use.
A lack of police data and the fact that some drivers use alcohol and marijuana at the same time makes it harder to come to a firm conclusion. However, some states are taking action to reduce the risk of such crashes on April 20. In Colorado, the government has partnered with Lyft to offer discounted rides on that day. Roughly half of drivers polled in that state said that driving under the influence of marijuana was not harmful.
People who are injured in a car crash caused by an impaired driver might require lengthy periods of hospitalization. An attorney representing an injured victim could first attempt to negotiate a settlement with the at-fault motorist’s insurance company. If the offer is inadequate, a lawsuit might be the next step.
