Hanford Marijuana-Impaired Driving Accidents
Since pot has been made legal in California, the number of pot DUI’s have increased significantly in cities like Hanford. A study from the enter for Injury Epidemiology and Prevention in Columbia shows that this rise in use has translated into an almost doubling of pot DUI’s. In the past 30 years, the number of pot-related fatalities has risen from 16 percent to 28 percent, and this without a reduction in the percentage of alcohol-related fatalities.
So this doesn’t mean that drunk drivers are putting down the bottle and getting high on pot, rather they are doing both.
Marijuana Impaired Driving Laws
One problem is that the current system is not set up for battling pot DUI’s. For one, there is no marijuana breathalyzer that can detect pot in the system of the driver. There are some companies that have produced prototypes, but there are no current laws that specify what level of marijuana in the system constitutes impairment.
When the legislature addresses this along with tools of enforcement like a marijuana field sobriety test, the epidemic looks to go unabated, and this is bad news for small towns like Hanford.
Injuries from Marijuana Impaired Driving Accidents
According to a recent Forbes article, there is also a rise in the number of pot and alcohol-impaired driving accidents. When combined, pot and alcohol create a more severe level of impairment that poses an even greater risk of accidents, injuries and deaths.
In many accidents that involve both the drug and alcohol, the impaired driver’s reaction has been slowed and no crash avoidance measures are taken. These result in a more violent crash and more serious injuries. Some of the most common are:
- Blunt Force Trauma
- Head Injuries
- Traumatic Brain Injuries
- Broken Arms/Legs
- Broken and Displaced Ribs
- Chest Compressions
- Organ Damage
- Internal Injuries/Bleeding
- Airbag injuries
Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer.
After any accident involving a serious injury in the Central Valley, contact attorney Martin Gasparian for a free consultation and case evaluation. Mr. Gasparian takes a hands-on approach to every case. He believes that every client should work directly with their lawyer, get honest advice and personalized attention to detail their case deserves.
