Insurance study ties legal pot to boost in car crash claims
Legal recreational pot sales in
"We believe that the data is saying that crash risk has increased in these states and those crash risks are associated with the legalization of marijuana," said
"The study raises more questions than it provides answers, and it's an area that would surely receive more study, and deservedly so," Tvert said.
Researchers accounted for factors such as the number of vehicles on the road in the study and control states, age and gender of drivers, weather and even whether the driver making a claim was employed. Neighboring states with similar fluctuations in claims were used for comparison.
Insurance industry groups have been keeping a close watch on claims when auto accidents across the country began to go up in 2013 after more than a decade of steady decline. Insurance companies found several possible factors at play in the spike that included distracted driving through texting or cellphone use, road construction, and an improved economy that has led to leisurely drives and more miles driven, as well as marijuana legalization.
"It would appear, probably not to anyone's surprise, that the use of marijuana contributes to crashes," said
"The problem here is that it's a pretty new experience," said
Eight states and
"While we have proven countermeasures, proven strategies for reducing alcohol impaired driving, there are a lot of unanswered questions about marijuana and driving," Rader said.
A study released last year by
Moore of the
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