In Washington state, where marijuana is legal, many people might not realize that D.U.I. laws apply to any mind altering substance. While approximately 88% of drunk drivers can be identified through a field sobriety test, only 30% of people under the influence of THC failed the same test in a 2012 study published in the journal Psychopharmacology. The determining factor seemed to depend heavily on whether or not the driver was accustomed to being stoned.

This raises the question, how dangerous is it to drive while stoned. Independent researchers estimate that the risk of an accident doubles when there is any measurable amount of THC in the bloodstream. Compare this to 20 times more likely for 20-year-old drivers with alcohol of .08% and 9 times more likely for older adults, up to age 34. Although driving under the influence of marijuana is less dangerous than driving drunk, there is still a present danger.

While drunk drivers have a tendency to drive faster and over estimate their skills, the opposite is true for stoned drivers. Additionally, in laboratory tests, most people who are stoned can pass memory tests with some added effort. The problem comes into play when a stoned driver needs to multitask because their brain is processing information at a slower rate.

To find out more about the risks of driving under the influence, visit: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/18/health/driving-under-the-influence-of-marijuana.html?_r=0

The Cunnane Law Office has provided this content for informational purposes only. You should refer your questions to a personal injury attorney.

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Americans eat more in the car than any other country. As a matter of fact, a study in 2009 published in the Daily News found that 80% of U.S. car accidents are caused by distracted drivers who are preoccupied with eating and driving.

Eating is problematic while driving because drivers are unable to react quickly and tend to be unable to turn sharply while one hand is on a burger. Additionally, drivers take their gaze off the road to look down and see if anything has spilled. Speaking of spillage, our love for wide cups doesn’t align with our love for European cars which typically lack wide cup holders. What does this mean? We are constantly doing a balancing act between our food, drink and steering wheel.

This is why New Jersey has even gone as far as to ban eating while driving. Offenders could pay up to $400 on a first-time offense.

Distracted driving will cause accidents. What habits are you practicing to avoid being distracted while driving?

The Cunnane Law Office has provided this content for informational purposes only. You should refer your questions to a personal injury attorney.

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More than 15,000 lives are saved each year in the United States due to seatbelts. However about 20,000 lives are lost as a result of not wearing them.

There are five ways that seat belts protect us when we are in a car accident:

Seatbelts keep occupants of a vehicle inside. Otherwise your body could be thrown from the vehicle, increasing the likelihood of fatality by four times.

The strongest parts of the body are restrained. Contact is made at the strongest parts of your body (hips and shoulders).

Force from a collision is spread out. This means less stress in put on any one area of the body. The shoulder strap additionally keeps your head and upper body away from the dashboard and steering wheel.

Seat belts slow down the body. The change in speed during a collision jerks the body causing injury. Seat belts give the body more time to react.

Seat belts protect your spinal cord and brain. The two most critical areas in the body are the spine and brain; injuries to both have serious consequences.

Buckle up correctly. Putting your seatbelt on correct is just as important as wearing it. The strap that fits across your lap should be snug over your hips and upper thigh. If your seatbelt rides over the stomach, this can cause serious injuries. Shoulder belts should rest across your shoulders and chest between your breasts. If your shoulder strap falls across your neck or face, it can cause serious or fatal injuries. Additionally, never place the strap under your arms or behind your back.

For more information, visit: http://www.everydayhealth.com/healthy-living/wearing-your-seat-belt.aspx

The Cunnane Law Office has provided this content for informational purposes only. You should refer your questions to a personal injury attorney.

www.cunnanelaw.com

As distracted driving receives more attention by our local police departments, research is being gathered to potentially implement “distracted driving” laws. In a CBS2 News investigation in Chicago, cameras were installed in vehicles of drivers with a variety of situations. Some had no children, but talked on their cell phones and others had multiple children. Researchers watched for the amount of time drivers had their eyes off the road during an average trip and compared distraction levels among all participants.

They found that mothers of young children were the most distracted, frequently looking back to check on their children and to tell them to settle down. Drivers with children had their eyes off the road 21% of the time which is 12 times longer than the average amount of time distracted when someone is talking on a cell phone.

If you are driving with children, keep your eyes on the road while interacting with them and vocally check in with them rather than visually. Talking and singing to keep them well behaved is much less distracting then frequently looking away from the road.

The Cunnane Law Office has provided this content for informational purposes only. You should refer your questions to a personal injury attorney.

www.cunnanelaw.com