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Explaining the dangers of drugged driving

On Behalf of | Aug 9, 2019 | DUI/DWI |

Getting behind the wheel after using drugs can be deadly for the driver, their passengers and others around them on the roads of Georgia. Different drugs have different effects on a person’s ability to drive a vehicle. For example, using cocaine and then driving can make a person aggressive or reckless. Using marijuana and then driving will slow a driver’s reaction time. Today, we will explain the dangers of drugged driving.

There have been many studies conducted on the affects of drug use and driving, but it can be very difficult to ascertain the true impact because many people like to mix substances. For example, many people mix alcohol with opioid or marijuana and then drive a vehicle. This makes it hard to pinpoint the impact drugs have on your ability to drive when alcohol is present.

The most common effects drugs have on your driving skills include the following:

  • Lane weaving
  • Poor decision making
  • Altered attention of your surroundings
  • Reduced reaction time
  • Impaired thinking
  • Drowsiness

In 2017, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that 12.8 million people drove a vehicle while under the influence of illicit drugs in the same year. The survey also discovered that men are more likely than women to drive under the influence of both alcohol or drugs. People between the ages of 21 to 25 are more likely to drive drugged compared to those between the ages of 16 to 20.

Drugged driving is a serious problem throughout Georgia and across the country. If you are charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI) or driving while impaired (DUI), you need to fight the charges and protect your rights with the help of an experienced criminal defense attorney.