Marijuana-Alcohol Users Are Ohio's Deadliest Drivers, AAA Warns

CLEVELAND — As April 20 approaches, AAA reminded drivers that people who drink alcohol and smoke marijuana while driving are "some of the most dangerous drivers on the road.

Drivers who use both alcohol and marijuana are more likely to speed, text while driving, intentionally run red lights and drive more aggressively, according to data from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

In Ohio, car crashes involving marijuana increased 29 percent from 2019. During the past two years, 2,974 marijuana-related car crashes have occurred in Ohio, killing 407 people, AAA noted.

"The data shows the alarming impact of alcohol and marijuana use on the choices drivers make when they get behind the wheel," said Jake Nelson, AAA's director of traffic safety advocacy and research. "From choosing to drive while impaired, and speeding, to driving distracted or running red lights, using these two drugs leads to poor decision-making with potentially fatal consequences."

Drivers who have used both weed and alcohol are more likely to report:

• Speeding on residential streets (55 percent) vs. alcohol-only (35 percent)
• Aggressive driving (52 percent) vs. alcohol-only (28 percent)
• Intentional red-light running (48 percent) vs alcohol-only (32 percent)
• Texting while driving (40 percent) vs. alcohol-only (21 percent)

Unsurprisingly, sober drivers were less likely to engage in all forms of dangerous driving.

"With 4/20 approaching, it's worth noting that marijuana use can inhibit concentration, slow reaction times, and cloud judgment. Its effects vary by individual, but several studies, including one that AAA released in 2020, have concluded that marijuana use impairs the ability to drive safely," added Nelson.