You know that some of the drivers around you on the road may not be in the best mental state to drive safely. It could be as simple as someone who is lost in thought or as negligent as someone who had a few drinks and then got behind the wheel. You also have to worry about people who are distracted or who may be impaired by the medications they took.

Here in Colorado, marijuana is also legal for recreational and medicinal use. If someone takes it and then drives, will it impair their ability to do so safely?

Even legal marijuana usage can impair driving ability

Regardless of the legality of marijuana in a general sense, it is clear that it can affect driving ability. It is just as illegal for someone to drive after getting high as it is for them to drive after drinking too much. In fact, studies have looked at the relationship between impairment and a person’s blood THC concentration and found a “direct relationship.” It can impair their:

• Ability to make sound judgment calls behind the wheel
• Motor coordination and control over their physical movements
• Reaction times when something unexpected happens

What this means is that someone who has used marijuana, even if they bought it legally and consumed it in a legal fashion, is more likely to cause a car accident than someone who did not. They can’t use the fact that the drug is no longer illegal as an excuse for why they were driving. This is still prohibited.

As such, if you get injured by a driver who was impaired and caused the accident, you may be able to seek compensation for potentially high medical bills and other costs.