Researchers at the University of British Columbia have released the results of a recent study showing that people who test positive for THC after non-fatal automobile accidents do not represent a significant risk factor in being the cause of the crash.
The goal of the prospective case-control study was to determine whether drivers injured in vehicle collisions who test positive for THC in their bloodstream are more culpable in car crashes compared to those who test negative.
Of the 3,005 toxicology reports from trauma centers in British Columbia on injured drivers and 2,318 police reports that researchers obtained for the study, they found that 14.4 percent of drivers had alcohol in their system, 8.3 percent tested positive for THC, 8.9 tested positive for other drugs, and 19.8 percent tested positive for sedating medications.
Study results indicated a significantly elevated risk of crash responsibility in drivers with blood-alcohol levels of .08 percent or higher as well as with those who had sedating medications or other drugs detected in their system.
Among drivers who tested positive for 5ng/ml of THC or less, researchers found that there was no increased risk of crash responsibility, and drivers found with more than 5ng/ml in their system showed a statistically non-significant risk of crash responsibility.
