Substance Impaired Auto Accident Lawyers in Florida

Drunk driving is one of the leading causes of traffic deaths for many years and safety experts are increasingly voicing their worries about the increase in drugged driving.  This growing safety threat comes from several different causes including the legalization of marijuana for both medical and potentially the legalization of recreational use in Florida, the rise in opioid usage and sleeping pills, and over-the-counter (OTC) medications that make drivers drowsy and impair their driving ability.  If you or a family member sustains an injury or if you lost a loved one in an accident caused by a drugged driver, contact our experienced Florida Car Accident Attorneys for a free consultation and full explanation of your legal rights.  We will also help you understand how to preserve injury cases.

As marijuana use becomes legal in a growing number of U.S. states, drugged driving crashes are expected to rise.  At this moment, 36 U.S. states along with the District of Columbia have approved marijuana for medicinal purposes and 18 states have completely legalized marijuana, and 13 states have decriminalized marijuana use.  A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study showed that more than 12 million drivers had admitted to driving while impaired by marijuana and 2.3 million drivers admitted to driving after they had ingested a different drug that impairs driving ability.

Drugged driving also poses a more serious law enforcement challenge than drunk driving because:

• There is no reliable roadside drug test available to determine the amount of illegal drugs or THC in a driver’s system.
• Law enforcement usually don’t do chemical tests for drugs when a driver fails their blood alcohol test.
• Drugs can take days or weeks to leave the body and this prevents law enforcement from determining whether the driver’s driving ability was impacted or not.
• People who use illegal drugs often use many different drugs and combine alcohol with drugs and this makes it difficult to determine which drug contributed to the driver’s impairment.

One NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) study showed that 43% of drivers who are involved in fatal car accidents have alcohol and one other drug in their system.  These fatal alcohol and drug accidents occurred more frequently than those who only had alcohol in their system (FARS 2016).  Many pro-marijuana advocates argue that THC doesn’t impair driving capability, but the NHTSA study states that THC does impact reaction time, coordination, and the estimation of distance, which are all necessary skills for driving.

If you or a loved one are injured or if you lost a loved one in a drugged driving accident in Florida, speak to one of our experienced car accident lawyers for free.  

Free Consultation with Our Dedicated Florida Car Wreck Attorneys! 

Fuentes Berrio Schutt represents injury victims and families of victims tragically killed in an accident throughout Florida. Our Car Wreck Attorneys are ready to answer your questions and meet with you about your claim.  Call us 24/7 at 954-752-1110 for your free case review and consultation. Nosotros hablamos español.