GEE; Who could've seen this coming

More Colorado drivers in fatal crashes positive for pot

One study shows more drivers involved in fatal car accidents in Colorado are testing positive for marijuana — and that Colorado has a higher percentage of such drivers testing positive for pot than other states even when controlled for several variables. 

The other study shows that perceptions of marijuana's risk have decreased across all age groups with the boom in marijuana businesses in the state. The study also finds that near-daily marijuana use among adults increased significantly starting in 2009, relative to states without medical marijuana laws. 

Quantifying problems with stoned driving has particularly stumped Colorado authorities, making the new study on fatal crashes — led by CU School of Medicine researcher Stacy Salomonsen-Sautel — especially notable.

The study found that, in 2011, the proportion of drivers in fatal crashes in Colorado testing positive for marijuana had risen to 10 percent — up from 5.9 percent in early 2009. In states without medical marijuana laws, 4.1 percent of fatal-crash drivers tested positive in 2011 — almost identical to the numbers from early 2009.

SOURCE:  http://www.dailycamera.com/news/ci_25770838/more-colorado-drivers-fatal-crashes-positive-pot-study