Cannabis or alcohol: which causes more fatal road accidents?

A French study published last week showed that drivers under the influence of alcohol are more likely to be involved in a fatal road accident. than those who have used cannabis.

Drivers under the influence of cannabis are 1.65 times more likely to cause a fatal car accident, 2 times less likely than those on the phone at the wheel. those under the influence of alcohol are 17.8 times more likely to be responsible for a fatal road accident, a figure slightly lower than texting while driving (23 times more likely).

Correlation between road accidents and driving under the influence of alcohol or cannabis

In particular, the study looked at the correlation between fatal road accidents and driving under the influence of alcohol and cannabis. Researchers also investigated the role of amphetamines, cocaine and opiates in road accidents in France.

The statistics studied are those for 2011, and have been compared with those of a previous year. previous study driving between 2001 and 2003. By closely examining the toxicological analyses of 4059 deceased drivers under more than 300 characteristics, the study evaluated «positivity and potential confirmation by blood analysis» tests.

It states: «The proportion of people driving under the influence of alcohol is estimated at 2.1% and under the influence of cannabis at 3.4%. Drunk drivers are 17.8 times more likely to cause a fatal road accident, and the proportion of accidents that could be avoided if drivers had not exceeded the legal alcohol limit is estimated at 27.7%. Drivers under the influence of cannabis multiply the risk of being responsible for a fatal accident by 1.65, and the proportion of accidents that could be avoided if no driver drove after consuming cannabis is estimated at 4.2%».

The conclusion of the study coincides with reports already published internationally, for example of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in 2015.

The French study concludes that «alcohol remains the main problem in France». And while the number of road deaths has fallen in recent years, without increasing the number of cannabis-related deaths, «it is important to note that 1 in 2 drivers under the influence of cannabis was also under the influence of alcohol. With the cumulative risks of both, it is particularly important to point out the danger of using them together’.