Driving while high in Florida is a dangerous proposition. Drug-impaired drivers cause hundreds of accidents every year in the state, killing hundreds of people and injuring thousands of others. Even if you don’t get in an accident, if you get arrested for a drug-related DUI, the costs are enormous,
According to Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FHSMV), “Driving while impaired by drugs is illegal and subject to the same penalties as driving while impaired by alcohol. Penalties for DUIs can include expensive fines, license revocation, and jail time. Convictions can remain on your record for 75 years. Unlike alcohol, there is no specific impairment limit with marijuana. Marijuana affects everyone differently and can remain in a person’s system much longer than alcohol.”
Driving While High in Florida Risks
According to the FHSMV, the many negative impacts of driving while high in Florida could make it impossible for you to do so safely. Along with impairing motor abilities, it can also make a person drowsy, render them unable to react in straightforward situations, and give them a false sense of alertness and confidence. THC can also interfere with the ability to measure speed and distance, hampering maneuverability and response times.
The saying about getting pulled over, “If you’re speeding, it’s because of alcohol. If you’re going too slow, it’s because of cannabis,” reflects the effect that THC can have in altering the perception of time and space. When it comes to alcohol, there are set standards for how much is considered one drink: one can of beer, a five-ounce glass of wine, or 1.5 ounces of distilled alcohol. But there is no similar measurement for THC. So it can be hard for users to gauge how much cannabis they’ve actually consumed and to decide how much is too much before getting behind the wheel. So the best policy is to not drive at all if you’re planning to get high.
THE FIVE SIGNS OF IMPAIRMENT
Under the influence of marijuana drivers can experience:
- A slowed reaction time
- Limited short-term memory functions
- Decrease hand-eye coordination
- Weakened concentration
- Difficulty perceiving time and distance
Driving While High in Florida Accident Injury
If you’ve been injured in an accident with someone who was driving while high in Florida, you’ll want the best Orlando car accident attorneys you can get to help you recover your losses. Consider the personal injury accident attorneys at Martinez Manglardi. We have been fighting for car accident injury victims in Central Florida for 35 years. Call 866-730-3508 for a free consultation. Offices throughout Central Florida.
