Stoned Driving Skills Tested [Video]

Stoned driving skills were tested, and recorded, in an attempt to understand how much, or how little, marijuana impairs judgment. The driving skills of three people, who were given increasing amounts of marijuana, were recorded in an unconventional “study.”

The test was conducted by CNN in cooperation with Cascade Driving School. The three test subjects were to complete the driving skill test once without any marijuana in their system and again after consuming increasing amounts of the drug. An instructor from the driving school rode with each subject, having control of an extra brake in the case of an emergency.

Two of the subjects reported to the testing site “clean,” but one participant, who admits heavy marijuana use, showed up with levels three times more than the legal limit. As she was able to complete the pretest and “her driving was fine,” the research continued as planned.

As reported by Auto World News, after the initial pretest, all three drivers were given 0.3 grams of marijuana to consume. All three drivers tested well above the legal limit and were asked to complete the driving skills course again. All three subjects “drove acceptably” in the second stoned driving skills test.

After 0.9 grams, one driver attempted to complete the course but was uncoordinated and confused. The other male driver was unable to drive at all as he was “too stoned.”

Interestingly, the female who showed up to the test site stoned was still able to complete the test well enough that her driving was not considered “unsafe.” She did not show signs of impaired driving until she had consumed 1.4 grams of marijuana.

An article published by Time discusses a study that found a “92% increased risk of fatal or near-fatal accidents,” after the consumption of marijuana. The research concluded that a significantly increased risk was not associated with “minor collisions,” which may be due to the fact that, when people are stoned, they may drive more slowly and cautiously. However, due to slower reaction time, more risk is associated with higher speed and consequently fatal accidents.

CNN reportedly conducted the stoned driving skills test in response to increasing state laws allowing medical or recreational use of marijuana.