As our national rates of drunk driving offenses drop, no doubt due to aggressive campaigning and education, the rate of other DUI offenses has continued to rise. Marijuana and prescription drugs are becoming increasingly prevalent in U.S. drivers. In last year’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Roadside Survey of Alcohol and Drug Use By Drivers, almost one-fourth of drivers tested positive for drugs that could reduce driver safety. The Roadside Survey is an anonymous, voluntary poll that gathers data from passing drivers who volunteer their answers. About 8 percent of weekend nighttime drivers were found to have alcohol in their systems, and just over 1 percent of them were over the legal limit. This is a 30 percent decrease from the last survey, in 2007! Contrast this with the number of drivers found to have marijuana in their systems – the figure increased by 50 percent since 2007. A second study sought to probe the uncertain question of whether drivers under the influence of marijuana were safer than those under the influence of alcohol. The largest study ever conducted of its kind, the survey found that drivers with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher were four times as likely to crash as a sober driver. At .15 BAC, the risk was a whopping 12 times higher. Marijuana, on the other hand, only contributed to a small increase in crashes. Researchers are unsure if this small increase in risk is due to the drug itself; it may be because marijuana users are more likely to be young men, a group already at high risk of crashing. If you plan on driving, it is wise to maintain sobriety. Even if the risk of crashing while high is lower than the risk of crashing while drunk, it is still a risk, and you could still find yourself in an uncomfortable position with the law. DUI Matters – Denver Drunk Driving Lawyers