Focus put on avoiding cannabis behind the wheel for National Safe Driving Week

By ANNA SMITH Local Journalism Initiative on November 26, 2024.

asmith@medicinehatnews.com

With Safe Driving Week just around the corner, the Canada Safety Council and the Insurance Brokers Association of Canada are highlighting the risks associated with driving while under the influence of cannabis.

The Traffic Injury Research Foundation points out that between 2018 and 2020, approximately half the nearly 5,000 injured drivers receiving care had at least one impairing substance in their system, with cannabis at the forefront, remaining a leading contributor to road accidents.

“Driving under the influence of cannabis is a serious risk to road safety,” said Gareth Jones, president and CEO of the Canada Safety Council. “It impairs your ability to react and make sound decisions, and the consequences can be devastating. During National Safe Driving Week, we are urging all Canadians to understand that impairment, whether from alcohol or drugs, has no place behind the wheel.”

The Safety Council explained that cannabis affects motor skills, reaction time and decision-making, as well as alters how the brain processes information, hurting focus, quick decisions and reactions to changes on the road.

This is particularly problematic in situations that require split-second decisions, such as avoiding a collision or adjusting to rapidly changing traffic conditions, said the Safety Council. Studies have shown that even small amounts of cannabis can significantly impact driving performance, and as such, the legal consequences for it are severe.

For first-time offenders, penalties can include a $1,000 fine and a driving ban for up to one year.

“There’s no question that cannabis impairs your ability to drive, and driving while impaired, whether from drugs or alcohol, is risky behaviour,” said Peter Braid, IBAC CEO. “The stakes are too high – death, injury, property damage, fines and convictions. Your auto insurance may not pay some benefits, and your premiums will increase.”

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