Motorist Fatalities Have Occurred Less Often in Colorado Since Legalization of Cannabis

Motorist Fatalities Have Occurred Less Often in Colorado Since Legalization of Cannabis

By Wes LePage

Data from 2013 and 2014 reveals a slight decrease in fatal accidents

Despite recent headlines concerning (and perhaps manufacturing) a “stoned driving epidemic” it seems the first five months of Colorado’s recreational marijuana industry has not led to an increase of total motorist fatalities, which are, in fact, in slight decline from last year.

From January through May there was an average of 32 fatal automobile accidents per month in Colorado in 2013. This year there’s been an average of 29 per month (CO Dept. of Transportation).

Even after separating out the landmark months of Colorado’s cannabis sales—January, March and April—no correlation surfaces. January, which brought over $14 million in cannabis sales and an onslaught of out of state traffic by those who wanted to partake in the first days of the historic transactions, only saw 26 motorist fatalities compared to 32 a year ago. All the more impressive when one considers the icy conditions during those first few momentous weeks. March brought nearly twice as much money in recreational pot sales as January largely due to Spring Break travel, which specifically brings in the younger and less experienced crowds—both in driving and in consuming marijuana. Yet accidents rates between the two years varied only slightly. And April, which brought thousands upon thousands (along with $22 million in recreational sales) for the largest “420” gathering in US history—purely dedicated to overindulging in cannabis—saw 28 fatal accidents compared to 30 from last year.