According to a new study this month, the legalization of marijuana whether medicinally or recreationally is not linked to an increase in traffic fatalities.
The study was conducted by Kansas State University graduate student Andrew Young who looked at data on average traffic fatalities over 23 years and used two models to assess the impact of cannabis reform on road safety.
“[L]egalizing marijuana is not found to be a statistically significant predictor of fatality rates,”said Young. “This finding means that the legalization of marijuana for both medical and recreational purposes is not associated with either a reduction or increase in fatalities per 100,000 vehicle miles traveled.”
There was no trend found in the analysis. For example, in Arizona, where medical cannabis is legal, average traffic fatalities reflected the states of Wyoming and South Dakota, where marijuana is prohibited.
“The results of the analysis suggest that there is no statistically [significant] relationship between marijuana legalization and fatal crashes,” Young wrote. “These findings suggest that concerns of policy makers and the public that legalizing marijuana will worsen road safety are not entirely founded.”
“According to the difference-in-differences model, the recent upward trend of traffic fatality rates nationwide is not a result of medical marijuana legalization. In fact, the legalization of marijuana is not found to be a predictor of traffic fatalities,” he also wrote.
