Which is worse: Driving while intoxicated, or driving while high?

Vince M

The "worse or better" argument is really quite futile. The point is, that driving while impaired FOR ANY REASON is dangerous for the driver, passengers and other vehicles unlucky enough to be in the way.

The thing is, that so many people don't understand this concept of immpairment. Conditions under drugs, alcohol and other substances can affect a driver's reaction, spatial awareness and sense of timing, not to mention judgement. But many, MANY other conditions cause a driver to be impaired. Simple sleepiness has simialar effects on the driver as driving drunk. Judgement, awareness, reaction, etc. A driver who is ill is impaired to some degree. So is an angry driver or a distracted one.

Whatever "statistics" one can apply to whether some one is more or less a danger on the road makes little difference. A pedestrian struck by a drunk driver, a sleepy driver, a sick driver, or a distracted driver suffers the same injury.

A SINGLE shot of booze, while still not causing a driver's BAC to rise above the "legal" definition of intoxication is STILL alcohol in the system. THAT driver is STILL impaired to some degree, and, if he misjudges the clearance between his car and the next, the RESULT is the same as with a driver who is drunk on his a**. A shared toke off of a friend's blunt, a head cold, a guy who's girlfriend just broke up with him, someone driving home after just getting laid off ... all of these can be a hazzard.

One can say "that one" is 15% more likely to get into a collision, or "this substance" is 20% less risky that the other is meaningless at the time a judgement has to be made, or a very specific action must be taken. Alcohol, marijuana, cocaine or a bottle of Nyquil. Makes little difference.

chevypride0310

doesn't matter, don't drive drunk or high, if you want to drink or do drugs then screw up your own life, don't hurt other people because you want to be stupid and drive like that

kenbgray

They are both bad.

redhzkingswood

Doesn't matter which, they are all highly dangerous. Even ordinary tobacco smoking is a driving hazard.
And don't think you can smoke dope or any other drug and not get caught, on the spot drug tests are available now to any law enforcement agency that has the courage to use them.

medalaw

Driving drunk is worse. When you are high you will probably only be going 15 mph.

Trevor O

because the question is which is worse and not weather either is right or not, driving while intoxicated is terrible and extremely dangerous, driving while high is not all that dangerous. Although driving while high is not 100% safe, it does effect some people worse then others, though typically being high will make you more cautious.

all in al driving high is many times safer then driving drunk

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Max Cruise

Both are bad, period.
We have so many bad drivers that are not under the influence of anything except big egos (get the heck off MY road) or being oblivious to their surrounding (Gee Officer, I didn't see the semi).
If I was in charge, if you are caught driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, your car gets impounded and you loose your driving privileges for 6 months, no exceptions. Too many accidents, too many injuries, and too much loss of life on the roads today. Cars have never been better and safer. But the quality of driver today is the lowest I have ever seen in my 30 plus years of driving.

driving while intoxicated is way worse than driving while high

Turtle 6

Driving while intoxicated = dumb

Driving while high = dumb, and illegal

Both equate to the same thing -- if you have an accident while drunk or high, and someone gets hurt, it's akin to assault with a deadly weapon [the auto]; and a death is nothing more than vehicular manslaughter. If you knowlingly operate a motor vehicle while impaired, some states can [and have] charge you with pre-meditated murder.

don't do it.

UCANTCME

Both are just as dangerous.......

Dan

"The only dangerous amount of alcohol is none."

Shan T

Alcohol is worse.

And, the cops can test for alcohol. THey can't test for pot.

grrccc

personally, i drive much worse when im drunk, and im focused as anything when im high

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