Driving while texting versus under the influence of marijuana

Not having one's attention completely focused on the road can result in a fatal motor vehicle accident. According to a survey that was conducted for the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America, a majority of people in California and the rest of the nation consider driving while texting even more dangerous than driving while high on marijuana.

Ninety-one percent of the survey respondents thought that operating a vehicle while impaired by marijuana is dangerous while 87 percent of them believed that the people who engage in such behavior are a hazard to the other drivers and passengers on the road. Only 40 percent of the respondents reported that they think driving while high contributes to motor vehicle accidents.

According to the National Safety Council, up to 40,000 people were killed as a result of motor vehicle accidents in 2016. The number represents an increase of 6 percent over 2015. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration conducted a survey from 2013 to 2014 and discovered that the number of people who drive while on marijuana rose significantly.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that researchers have been unable to find an indisputable link between marijuana use and the rise in motor vehicle crashes. However, according to a medical website, marijuana can cause lightheadedness and a delay in reaction time, both of which can affect how well a driver can respond to an unexpected event while behind the wheel.

A personal injury attorney may work to obtain financial compensation on behalf of clients that were injured in a car accident that was caused by a driver that was impaired from drugs or was texting while driving. A lawsuit may be filed to hold the negligent parties liable for medical expenses, pain and suffering and lost wages that resulted from the injuries that the victim sustained in an accident.