Among the main factors of road accidents, we find speed, drunk driving, or drowsiness, but it is important not to neglect the risks of driving under the influence of drugs. Indeed, the negative effects of cannabis consumption on driving are often underestimated, or even ignored by road users, while the consequences can be fatal: nearly 700 people lose their lives on the roads each year because of drugs while driving, or 1 in 5 accidents. To reduce these figures, many drug prevention solutions now exist.
What are the risks of driving under the influence of drugs and what are the penalties? All the answers to your questions can be found in this article!
How does THC affect the body?
The effects of THC on the body do not take long to be felt: they reach their peak only 15 to 30 minutes after smoking and last up to 8 hours for a regular user or even up to 13 hours for an occasional smoker. In the case of ingestion, the effects last for almost 7 to 8 hours.
Consuming cannabis has many effects on the body:
- Significant drowsiness,
- Changing perceptions and therefore the risks involved,
- A severely impaired assessment of distances,
- A reduction in reflexes,
- A longer reaction time,
- Decreased alertness and attention,
- A change in auditory and visual perceptions, making objects appear closer.
Risks of driving after using cannabis
The effects of THC mentioned above thus reduce the driver’s ability to analyze all the information necessary to control his vehicle and involve major risks for his safety and that of others.
In an emergency, prior cannabis use leads to late or inappropriate braking, difficulty controlling the vehicle and its trajectory, and in the event of prolonged driving, a loss of vigilance and attention.
This is due to the main active molecule in cannabis, tetrahydrocannabinol, which acts directly on the nervous system of its user. The higher the dose, the greater the risks incurred on the road. It should also be noted that driving under the influence of THC doubles the risk of being responsible for a fatal accident and when it is mixed with alcohol, the risks are multiplied by 29.
What are the penalties for driving under the influence of drugs?
In France, cannabis consumption is regulated and even simply illegal. Thus, while driving, a positive THC test is punishable by the highway code regardless of the dose detected in the body:
- Up to 2 years in prison and a fine of 4,500 euros,
- Up to 5 years imprisonment and a fine of 75,000 euros in the event of bodily injury,
- Up to 7 years in prison and a fine of 100,000 euros in the event of a fatal accident,
- Up to 10 years in prison and a fine of 150,000 euros in the event of a fatal accident associated with an aggravating circumstance such as mixing narcotics with alcohol or narcotics and driving without a license.
In addition to financial and criminal penalties, 6 points are removed from the driving license and it can be suspended for up to 3 years, or even canceled with a ban on retaking it for the next 3 years.
In addition, the insurance company can also penalize a driver who has driven under the influence of drugs by increasing the premiums, terminating the contract, or reducing or even canceling the compensation.
As you will have understood, cannabis consumption and driving are incompatible regardless of the dose consumed, under penalty of serious consequences. To guarantee your safety and that of others, it is important to drive while respecting the laws present in the highway code.
