DENVER – This summer, the Colorado Department of Transportation is partnering with local driving schools to warn teens and parents about the dangers of driving while under the influence of cannabis.
CDOT calls the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day the deadliest 100 days with crash rates that are 20% higher than the rest of the year and CDOT statistics show many fatal crashes involve an impaired driver.
“About a third of the deaths that we see on Colorado roads involve somebody that is impaired. And we really can't forget about teen drivers, although they're underage when it comes to alcohol and cannabis, we're still seeing some DUIs that involve alcohol and cannabis for this age group, and that's why we need to educate them about the dangers of driving impaired,” said Sam Cole, CDOT Safety Communications Manager.
Chase Craddock, a 16-year-old Top Cops Driving School student said after completing several driving school classes, it’s hard to imagine driving safely while impaired.
“Because there's pedestrians on cross walks and other drivers around you, and then if you're impaired and hit someone, it can harm you and can harm others,” Craddock said.
Solana Ruiz, a 15-year-old student at Top Cops Driving School agreed.
“I just think it's crazy that people drive impaired...it's just like the peer pressure, I think that gets to people,” Ruiz said.
According to CDOT, since the start of 2023, 52 teens aged 16-20 have been involved in serious injury or fatal crashes where marijuana impairment was suspected.
In that same period, CDOT said 240 teens aged 16-20 were involved in DUI crashes during the summer months, and nearly 100 (91) of those were suspected marijuana impairment.
“Just a little bit of cannabis and a little bit of alcohol actually can put you at the legal limit for impairment in the state. That's why we just make it simple. We say, if you plan to drink, you plan to use cannabis, just don't mix that with driving,” Cole said. “Parents need to be the role
model. They need not to be drinking in front of their kids and then driving, and they have to have conversations with their kids about what they expect of them once they get that driver's license. “
CDOT reports because younger drivers are more likely to consume cannabis than the average Colorado driver, it’s more important than ever to discuss the dangers of driving while high.
