MARIHUANA EFFECTS ON DRIVING: PERFORMANCE AND PERSONALITY

A number of laboratory studies of information processing have been performed with both alcohol and marihuana treatments. Data from these experiments are reviewed in terms of implications for driving. Peripheral processes appear not to be significantly degraded by either substance, but central processes are affected by both. There is evidence that alcohol causes a slowing of central processes appear not to be significantly degraded by either substance, but central processes are affected by both. There is evidence that alcohol causes a slowing of central processes whereas marihuana effects appear to be related to attention lapses. Personality variables, as measured by the MMPI, are compared for alcohol and marihuana users. It is concluded that driving skills are likely to be impaired by marihuana, but there is no evidence that marihuana use creates a greater traffic hazard than alcohol use. The deficits in information processing differ for the two drugs, and related accidents may be expected to reflect those differences.

• Corporate Authors:

  American Association for Automotive Medicine

  801 Green Bay Road
  Lake Bluff, IL  United States  60044
• Authors:
  • Burns, M
  • Sharma, S
• Conference:
  • 19th Annual Conference of the American Association for Automotive Medicine
  • Date: 1975-11-0 to 1975-11-0
• Publication Date: 1975

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 274-284

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alcohols; Behavior; Driver performance; Drivers; Drugs; Human characteristics; Marijuana; Perception; Personality; Personnel performance
• Uncontrolled Terms: Driver characteristics
• Old TRIS Terms: Driver perception
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00130736
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Highway Safety Research Institute
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 21 1976 12:00AM