Drugs, too, can affect driving performance.
According to a 2006 national survey administered anonymously to about 49,000 students in grades 9 through 12, the percentage of 12th graders who reported using marijuana in cars was higher than the percentage who reported using alcohol in cars (13% vs. 10%). The percentages among 10th and 11th graders were slightly lower but followed a similar pattern.
Author
Alain Joffe, MD, MPH, FAAP
Alain Joffe, MD, MPH, FAAP
Comment
Although the survey did not ask whether respondents drove while using drugs or alcohol, the notion that cars are a locale for drug and alcohol use certainly raises that concern. The effects of marijuana use on teen drivers have not been studied, but laboratory simulations suggest that impairment from smoking marijuana is comparable to that associated with blood a…