01371360

Component

https://doi.org/10.3141/2281-06

http://scholar.google.com...fard&publication_year=2012

The influence of cannabis on traffic crashes is a growing concern. Experimental studies provide ample evidence of cannabis influence on psychomotor and cognitive performances. Epidemiological works describe the excess crash risk that this substance causes. Yet this psychotropic drug’s influence in causing crashes is still at the center of many discussions. The present analysis exploits crash data in detail to obtain a more precise understanding of the failures that drivers are subject to when they have consumed cannabis, depending on the level of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) measured in blood samples. Two groups representative of fatal crashes in France were studied: a cannabis group (n = 174) and a control group (n = 174) involving use of neither cannabis nor alcohol. Results of this analysis notably showed that cannabis consumption significantly increased the rate of generalized failures by the driver, reflecting an alteration of all sensorial, motor, and cognitive functions, specifically for high blood levels of THC (>5 ng/mL). At lower levels of intoxication, cannabis leads to a poor diagnosis of driving difficulties.

01450274

12-1179

English

pp 43–50

2012

Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board

9780309223201

Print

Figures; References; Tables

Cannabis ; Crash analysis; Fatalities; Human factors in crashes; Marijuana

Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Feb 8 2012 5:00PM

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