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New research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety finds that most people who consume cannabis (84.8%) will drive on the same day, with more than half (53%) saying they’ll drive an hour or less after taking cannabis. With this type of impaired driving becoming more common, AAA wanted to understand what motivates people to drive after consuming cannabis, and if there’s effective messaging that would work in preventing people from driving while under the influence of cannabis.
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety conducted two separate but complementary studies to 1) analyze cannabis consumers’ thoughts, perceptions, and reasons for driving under the influence, and 2) develop messages that might deter this behavior in the future.
The first study involved engaging with cannabis users from eight states, including Oregon, with different laws about cannabis use. The eight states are:
- Oregon and Michigan (where recreational and medicinal cannabis are legal and decriminalized)
- Louisiana and Ohio (medical only and decriminalized)
- Oklahoma and Florida (medical only and not decriminalized);
- South Carolina and Texas (illegal for all use).
Here are the Report Summary and Technical Report for the first study, and the Report Summary and Technical Report for the second study.
Cannabis is the third most commonly used substance in the U.S., following nicotine and alcohol. This trend is not surprising, considering that some form of cannabis consumption is legal in 38 states—24 states, including Oregon, allow recreational use, while 14 states permit medical use only. The rising use of cannabis has led to increased concerns about traffic safety. Evidence suggests that driving under the influence of cannabis is associated with an increased risk of crashes, injuries, and fatalities.
“Understanding what motivates cannabis consumers to drive under the influence can be helpful in developing effective safety strategies,” said Dr. David Yang, president and executive director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “With insights on perceptions, decision-making, and behavior, we aim to inform policies and interventions that make our roads safer for everyone.”
One study used surveys to gain a deeper understanding of cannabis consumers’ behaviors and perceptions of themselves. Some key findings are:
- Daily and frequent consumption – 44.1% said they consume cannabis multiple times per day
- Driving regularly – 57.8% indicated that they drive daily
- Consuming then driving is common – 84.8% revealed that they drive the same day that they consume cannabis, with 53% saying they consumed an hour or less before driving
- Believe consumption has little effect on driving – 46.9% believe they either drive the same, a little better (14.7%), or much better (19.4%)
- Cannabis industry carries weight – 38.6% said they would trust messaging about cannabis use and safe driving from cannabis industry groups and cannabis brands/companies (37.3%). Physicians, medical groups, safe driving groups, and labeling on products may also play a role in effective messaging.
While the second project also gauged habits, behaviors, and perceptions, it primarily focused on what types of impaired driving messages resonated most with participants who are regular cannabis consumers. Participants identified specific qualities that they found most engaging:
- Messages that highlighted personal responsibility and safety concerns performed better than messages based on legal risks.
- Participants also strongly preferred realistic, positive, and diverse messaging that avoids exaggerated stereotypes.
- Cannabis consumers consider the cannabis industry a trusted and relatable source.
- Messaging should address common myths and misconceptions respectfully.
- To ensure relevancy, messages should be tailored to the intended audiences, which are diverse.
“Our research shows that effective messaging about cannabis-impaired driving needs to include credible voices and respectful language. There’s also no one size fits all when it comes to messaging as cannabis consumers are of many different ages and come from all walks of life,” says Marie Dodds, public affairs director for AAA Oregon/Idaho. “Partnering with the cannabis industry may be a good way to develop effective messaging on cannabis use and impaired driving. As cannabis becomes more widely used, safety messaging becomes more important than ever.”
AAA strongly encourages the cannabis industry, policymakers, and other traffic safety stakeholders to use these findings to advance public education about the dangers of cannabis-impaired driving.
Effects of cannabis on drivers
Unlike alcohol, cannabis affects drivers in complex ways that are not easily quantified. Effects can vary from person to person but may include:
- Fatigue/sleepiness
- Brain fog
- Changes in visual or auditory perception
- Impaired body movement
- Hallucinations/delusions
Although impairment detection due to cannabis is not as straightforward as with alcohol, where blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels can be accurately correlated with impairment, police are still able to identify cannabis impairment.
Source: AAA