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Driving High

Why cannabis and driving don’t mix

When cannabis is consumed, its active ingredient THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) travels through your body and into your brain and affects the parts that are critical for driving safe. People experience different effects from different forms of cannabis, and while body size and composition, individual tolerance and dose all play a role in how high you get, none of this matters when it comes to driving – cannabis and driving just don’t mix and it's illegal to drive impaired.

The Risks

A CAA/BCAA public opinion study supported by simulator based research conducted by the University of Saskatchewan evaluating driving performance following edibles use show the risk of collisions increased significantly over time, peaking at 58% FOUR hours after consumption. Learn more.

A previous study and clinical trial show smoking cannabis can impair your ability to drive safely for even FIVE hours after inhaling it. Learn more.

Consuming cannabis increases the driver's risk of being in a collision because the THC in cannabis can impact cognitive skills needed for safe driving, affecting your:

Coordination

Coordination

Reaction Time

Reaction Time

Attention

Concentration

Decision Making Abilities

Decision Making Abilities

Ability to Judge Distances

Ability to Judge Distances

 

Sobering Facts

20% of millennials (18-34 years old) in Canada have the dangerous misconception that a person who’s high can drive the same or better

8% of drivers involved in serious motor vehicle accidents test positive for cannabis

Nearly 1 in 5 British Columbians have driven after using cannabis or been in a car driven by someone who had recently used cannabis

CAMPAIGNS

Check out our Cannabis & Driving campaign videos.

LEARN MORE