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A6 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 24 June 2017

Insurance study ties legal pot to boost in car crash claims

By P. SOLOMON BANDA
Associated Press
DENVER (AP) — A recent
insurance study links in-
creased car crash claims
to legalized recreational
marijuana.
The Highway Loss Data In-
stitute, a leading insurance
research group, said in
study results released Thurs-
day that collision claims
in Colorado, Washington,
and Oregon went up 2.7
percent in the years since
legal recreational mari-
juana sales began when
compared with surround-
ing states.
Legal recreational pot
sales in Colorado began
in January 2014, followed
six months later in Washing-
ton, and in October 2015 in
Oregon.
“We believe that the data
is saying that crash risk has
increased in these states
and those crash risks are
associated with the legal-
ization of marijuana,” said
Matt Moore, senior vice
president with the institute,
which analyzes insurance In this April 16, 2015 file photo, smoke created by water vapor billows out of the windows of a car, used by Colorado to fight stoned
data to observe emerging driving with youth demographics, during a demonstration by the Colorado Department of Transportation in southeast Denver.
auto-safety trends. Associated Press
Mason Tvert, a marijuana
legalization advocate
and communications di- drivers, weather and even ijuana legalization. said Carole Walker of the cohol impaired driving,
rector with the Marijuana whether the driver mak- “It would appear, probably Rocky Mountain Insurance there are a lot of unan-
Policy Project, questioned ing a claim was employed. not to anyone’s surprise, Information Association, an swered questions about
the study’s comparison of Neighboring states with that the use of marijuana industry group that covers marijuana and driving,”
claims in rural states such similar fluctuations in claims contributes to crashes,” Colorado, Wyoming, Utah Rader said.
as Idaho, Wyoming, and were used for comparison. said Kenton Brine, president and New Mexico. A study released last year
Montana with Colorado, Insurance industry groups of the industry group North- “This is the first study that by AAA’s safety founda-
Oregon and Washington have been keeping a close west Insurance Council has been able to isolate le- tion found legal THC limits
that have dense popula- watch on claims when that represents companies gal pot as one of the fac- established by states with
tion centers and how that auto accidents across the in Washington, Oregon and tors.” legal marijuana have no
affected the study’s find- country began to go up Idaho. He added: “It would Eight states and Washing- scientific basis and can re-
ings. in 2013 after more than be difficult to say that mari- ton, D.C., have legalized sult in innocent drivers be-
“The study raises more a decade of steady de- juana is a definitive factor, recreational marijuana for ing convicted, and guilty
questions than it provides cline. Insurance compa- lacking a citation, in a sig- adults. drivers being released.
answers, and it’s an area nies found several possible nificant number of crashes Insurance Institute for High- Moore of the Highway
that would surely receive factors at play in the spike to say that what we’re see- way Safety spokesman Russ Loss Data Institute said
more study, and deserv- that included distracted ing here is a trend.” Rader adds that alcohol they hope the study’s find-
edly so,” Tvert said. driving through texting or The Highway Loss Data In- impairment remains one ings will be considered by
Researchers accounted cellphone use, road con- stitute said its study exam- of the biggest concerns on lawmakers and regula-
for factors such as the num- struction, and an improved ined claims from January the road. tors in states where mari-
ber of vehicles on the road economy that has led to 2012 to October 2016. “While we have proven juana legalization is under
in the study and control leisurely drives and more “The problem here is that it’s countermeasures, proven consideration or recently
states, age and gender of miles driven, as well as mar- a pretty new experience,” strategies for reducing al- enacted.q