Millions Of Americans Admit To Driving While High, New Survey Says
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Marijuana is becoming legal in more cities across the U.S. than ever before, and now more people are admitting to getting high before getting behind the wheel.
A new survey from AAA's Foundation for Traffic Safety found that nearly 15 million drivers said they've gotten behind the wheel within an hour of using marijuana.
According to the AAA report, nearly 70% of Americans believe it is unlikely that people driving under the influence of marijuana will get caught.
However, AAA pointed out that police are now more keen on catching people driving high.
"You can get caught if you are driving under the influence. regardless of whether marijuana is legal in your state, it's not legal for you to get behind the wheel impaired," said AAA spokesperson Rachel Sturm.
Drug-related DUI arrests in Los Angeles shot up 32% in the first six months following the legalization of marijuana for recreational use last year.
According to Officer Kamaron Sardar, a drug recognition expert with the LAPD, marijuana "affects depth perception, it affects memory and concentration."
The LAPD advises drivers to wait eight hours after smoking marijuana before getting behind the wheel.