NHTSA study: Driving stoned is much safer than driving drunk


A new study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that drivers who smoke weed before getting behind the wheel are no more likely to crash than sober drivers.

This does hold true only after adjusting for age, gender and race.

It also means that high drivers have a significantly lower crash risk than drunk drivers.

Overall alcohol use also increases the possibility of a wreck by 6.75 times.

The Washington Post notes that several states have laws to separate "marijuana-impaired driving" from drunk driving, still handling the two similarly.

You can see the NHTSA's full report here. [PDF]