Use of marijuana prior to driving increases the risk of an accident, although apparently not as much as alcohol consumption. However, about 90 percent of subjects in one study said they were willing to drive after smoking marijuana. According to subjects, cannabis users were more aware of being high and, while driving, were more likely to try to compensate for their impairment [SOURCE: Jason C. Laberge, et al, “Cannabis and Driving–Research Needs and Issues for Transportation Policy,” Journal of Drug Issues, Fall, 2004]

 DUI Rehab Works Better than Jail 

When a person with a high blood alcohol content (BAC) is involved in an automobile collision, the public is understandably inclined to demand a long jail or prison sentence. Studies indicate, however, that the fear of jail or prison is more of a deterrent to light than heavy or problem drinkers. A meta-analysis of more than 200 studies concluded that DUI rehabilitation programs were more effective than traditional criminal justice approaches, resulting in a seven to nine percent reduction in repeat alcohol-related crashes. [SOURCE: Scott McDonald, et al, “Driving Behavior of Alcohol, Cannabis, and Cocaine Abuse Treatment Clients and Population Controls,” American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, May, 2004; David J. Hanson, Ph.D., “Drinking and Driving,” Sociology Department, State University of New York, 2005]

 Ease Traffic Congestion, Save Lives

A study focusing on the 1996 Atlanta Olympics demonstrated how public action to reduce traffic congestion can have a beneficial health effect on persons with asthma.  Downtown Atlanta was closed to private automobiles during this period while park and ride buses provided fast, efficient public transportation. The city encouraged employers to implement alternative work hours and allow telecommuting whenever possible. The resulting decrease in ground level ozone levels brought about a 41.6 percent reduction in emergency visits and hospitalizations for Medicaid asthma patients during that period. [SOURCE: Michael G. Burke, “Drop in Air Pollution Reduces Asthma Exacerbations,” Contemporary Pediatrics, May, 2001; Michael S. Friedman, et al, “Impact of Changes in Transportation and Commuting Behaviors During the 1996 Summer Olympics Games in Atlanta on Air Quality and Childhood Asthma,” JAMA, February 21, 2001]

Nation of Safe Drivers, Could Be Safer

The United States is a relatively safe nation in which to drive with only one traffic fatality (drunk or sober) for every 50 million miles traveled. And alcohol-related fatalities are declining, representing about 39 percent of the total today compared to 60 percent in 1982. Yet at a blood alcohol content of .08, the legal limit in all states, a driver is 11 times more likely to have an accident than a person who has not been drinking. Of 18,000 traffic fatalities that occur each year, every single one could have been prevented. [SOURCE: David J. Hanson, Ph.D., “Drinking and Driving,” Sociology Department, State University of New York, 2005]

Seat Belt Use Could Save Young Lives
                                                                                   

Young drivers, who have the highest risk of being involved in an automobile crash, have the lowest rate of seatbelt use. An estimated 75 percent of all drivers but only 69 percent of young drivers (ages 16 to 24) use seatbelts regularly. Increased use of seat belts would significantly reduce the number of persons killed or severely injured in highway crashes. 
[SOURCE: "Buckle Up America Week: Focus on Teens and Young Adults, May 19-26, 2003," Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, May 16, 2003]

Students Frequently Drink and Drive

A survey of full-time college students revealed that 29 percent had driven an automobile after consuming alcohol and 10 percent had driven after having five or more drinks. About 23 percent said they had ridden with a driver who was either drunk or high. Those most likely to engage in unsafe drinking and driving practices were Euro-Americans from large schools in the South and North-Central United States. [SOURCE: “Drinking and Driving among College Students: The Influence of Alcohol-Control Policies,” Journal of American College Health, January-February, 2005]

 When the Driver Buckles Up... 
                                                                                               

When the driver-whether an adult or an adolescent-uses a seatbelt, teenage passengers are more likely to buckle up as well, according to a recent study. About 65 to 70 percent of passengers were belted when the driver was, compared to only 10 percent when the driver was not wearing a seatbelt. 
[SOURCE: A.F. Williams, A.T. McCartt and L. Geary, "Seatbelt Use by High School Students," Injury Prevention, March, 2003]