While broad trends in drunk driving are often discussed, it is informative to zoom in on specific places to get a closer look at trends, especially in a state where marijuana is legalized. From a 2022 Sage journal, we see that “data on traffic fatalities and collisions have yielded conflicting findings for the relationship between legalization and cannabis-related traffic safety outcomes, such as collisions, fatalities, and driving under the influence of cannabis” (Sage Journals).
There are many reasons to explain these inconsistencies. For example, the “variation in the effects of cannabis on driving behavior by frequency, dosage, and mode of cannabis administration (e.g., smoking vs. edibles), the existence of multiple testing methods for cannabis impairment and intoxication (such as saliva, blood, and urine), and variation in the use, accuracy, efficacy, and feasibility of these testing methods” leads to varying results and inconclusive data (Sage Journals).
However, there is undoubtedly a risk when people smoke cannabis or drink alcohol then drive, and Colorado is adamant on responding to these risks and creating safer driving procedures in this higher risk environment. For example, there is a proposal to extend the Colorado Move Over Law to all passenger vehicles, as well as a bill proposal for driver license education access and affordability for additional driving hours for young drivers (18 years old).
These efforts are not just reflected in Colorado but in states across the US. Local and state governments are recognizing the increasing risks and crashes on the roads and responding with real solutions. By zooming in on Colorado, we can see the importance officials are placing on safety.
Otorize also places an importance on safety on the roads and wants to help reduce these accidents through another method, which is the impairment testing app. The Otorize app allows users to take a 5-second impairment test from their smartphone anytime, anywhere. Otorize adds another dimension of safety to the road to help reduce accidents from impaired driving.
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