The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found, in a study to be released on Thursday, that traffic accidents are rising in states that have legalized recreational marijuana. Experts say more research is needed to better understand marijuana impairment. In random roadside testing, more than 22 per cent of drivers showed evidence of drug use, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data. A recent report by traffic safety officials in Washington State found a sharp rise in the mixing of drugs and alcohol since the state legalized recreational use of marijuana in 2014. The Washington Traffic Safety Commission found that one in four traffic fatalities in 2016 involved drivers who mixed drugs with alcohol or combined drugs.

Source: National Post October 18, 2018 13:53 UTC