5 Things to Know About Drugged Driving
Most drivers have a clear understanding of the risks associated with alcohol-impaired driving, there is often less discussion of drugged driving in Georgia and throughout the country. While impaired driving crashes certainly can and do result from alcohol consumption before a motorist gets behind the wheel of a car, impaired driving collisions can also happen as a result of drug use. We want to provide you with information about drugged driving crashes and seeking financial compensation for your injuries. The following are five things you should know.
- Drugged Driving Can Be Just as Dangerous as Drunk Driving
While we do not hear as much about drugged driving as drunk driving, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) emphasizes that drugged driving can be just as dangerous and life-threatening as drunk driving. On average, the NHTSA reports that about 20 percent of all nighttime drivers on weekends test positive for drugs, and that drug use could result in a devastating crash.
- You Will Only Have a Limited Amount of Time to File a Drugged Driving Claim in Georgia
Like most other car accident lawsuits, if you decide to file a lawsuit, you will most likely have only two years from the date of the crash to file your lawsuit under Georgia law. Otherwise, you will end up with a time-barred claim.
- Comparative Fault Can Still Reduce Your Damages in a Collision Caused by a Drugged Driver
Even when another driver is clearly at fault (such as in a drugged driving crash), you should know that comparative fault can still reduce your damages award.
- Drugged Drivers May Be Impaired By Legal Substances
A drugged driver is not only someone who is intoxicated by an unlawful substance or an illegal drug. To be sure, drugged driving accidents can happen—and the driver can be liable—after a driver uses a prescription medication that warns about risks associated with drug use and driving or operating heavy machinery.
- Drug Use Can Be More Difficult to Detect Than Alcohol Consumption
Since there is no “breathalyzer” or a similar device to determine whether someone is impaired by the use of drugs, it will be particularly important to ensure that the police are called to the scene of the accident. Although law enforcement officers may not have a breathalyzer to determine quickly whether a motorist has been using intoxicating substances, law enforcement officials may be able to conduct a chemical test (such as a blood or urine test) to determine whether a motorist has drugs in his or her system. That information can be critical for your drugged driving lawsuit. However, if you do not call the police at the time of the collision, it may be impossible to determine with certainty, after the crash, whether the accident resulted from drugged driving.
Contact a Marietta Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer
One of the experienced Marietta drunk driving accident attorneys at our firm can begin working with you today on your drugged driving accident claim. Contact The Strickland Firm for more information.
Resource:
nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drug-impaired-driving
