On July 18, 2024, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released a Safety Alert, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding teenage drivers from the dangers of driving under the influence of marijuana.
This alert was issued in conjunction with the final report on a fatal accident that occurred in Tishomingo, Oklahoma, in 2022. The accident involved a Chevrolet Spark and a semi-trailer truck, resulting in the tragic loss of six teenagers. The NTSB’s investigation concluded that the 16-year-old driver, presumably under the influence of marijuana, failed to halt completely at a stop sign and subsequently made a left turn in front of an approaching semi-trailer carrying gravel.
Marijuana is known to impair motor coordination, slow reaction time, and distort judgment of time and distance, all of which are crucial for safe driving. Despite the legalization of marijuana for recreational or medicinal purposes in several states, driving while impaired by marijuana remains unsafe and illegal across all states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy stated, “The takeaway from this heartbreaking incident is unequivocal: marijuana impairs, and this is a lesson that needs to be imparted before driver’s education.” She added that the issue of traffic safety is already a concern, and the problem of marijuana-impaired driving is only making it worse. She urged states to enhance their efforts to shield road users from impaired drivers, irrespective of the substance or its legal status.
In the Safety Alert, the NTSB provides guidance to parents on how to protect their teenagers from marijuana-impaired driving. This includes:
- Addressing the dangers of marijuana-impaired driving when discussing driving safety with your teenager.
- Explaining to your teenager how marijuana can negatively impact their motor coordination, judgment, and reaction time, thereby compromising their ability to drive safely.
- Reminding your teenager that driving while impaired is illegal, and that some states have zero-tolerance policies for any recent marijuana use prior to driving.
- Discussing strategies for making safe and responsible decisions to avoid driving under the influence of marijuana or getting into a vehicle with a driver who is impaired by marijuana.
- Leading by example by ensuring you drive unimpaired by any substances, whether legal or illegal. Consistency between the messages you convey to your teenager and your own driving behaviors is crucial. Novice teenage drivers often learn by observing their parents.
The NTSB issued new safety recommendations aimed at ensuring that teenage drivers are educated about the risks of marijuana-impaired driving as part of their driver and classroom education. They also made additional recommendations for measures that can help reduce accidents involving drug impairment. The recipients of these recommendations include various state and national organizations. The NTSB also reiterated an existing safety recommendation to the state of Oklahoma and another one to 19 states, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
The Safety Alert, the final investigation report on the Tishomingo accident, and more information about the safety of teenage and young drivers can be accessed on the NTSB’s website. -NTSB Press Information
