DRIVING AFTER DOING DRUGS CAN BE DEADLY

The BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation is reminding drivers not to drive
while impaired and that means drugs too.

A press release from the foundation noted that while alcohol is still
the leading cause of impairment, when it comes to driving offenses of
this kind, drug impairment is on the rise.

A report released last year in The Road Safety Monitor: Drugs and Driving
found among other things that an estimated 520,000 Canadians drove after
using marijuana or hashish in the previous year.

According to the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse young males are
driving under the influence of cannabis as often as, or more often,
than they drive under the influence of alcohol.

Impaired drivers kill two people every week on B.C. roads, noted the
release.

While tests show that alcohol consumption results in more aggressive
driving behaviours like speeding, drivers who use cannabis are more
likely to drive slowly, are less alert, have problems with time and
distance perception, and exhibit latent braking tendencies, all of
which are extremely dangerous driving behaviours in themselves.

Driving is impaired when the ability to do so is affected by any
substance or condition that changes the mood or perception of reality
of the driver. Alcohol or drugs, illicit or prescription, and even
fatigue and stress will impair your driving.

A combination of any or all of these things can be
deadly.

For more information visit the website at www.bcaatsf.ca.