Marijuana legalization doesn't lead to more fatal car crashes, finds Texas doctor



Click through to a recent timeline of Houston's evolving marijuana laws. less A new study led by a Texas doctor has found that states that legalized marijuana use have not seen a rise in the number of fatal car crashes.

Click through to a recent timeline of Houston's evolving marijuana ... more A new study led by a Texas doctor has found that states that legalized marijuana use have not seen a rise in the number of fatal car crashes. Photo: Tommy Flynn/Getty Images Photo: Tommy Flynn/Getty Images Image 1 of / 26 Caption Close Marijuana legalization doesn't lead to more fatal car crashes, finds Texas doctor 1 / 26 Back to Gallery

A new study led by an Austin trauma surgeon found that states with legalized marijuana have not experienced a rise in the number of fatal car crashes.

The findings, published in the American Journal of Public Health, compared crash fatality rates in Colorado and Washington — two states where recreational marijuana use is legal — with eight similar states, including Texas, where recreational marijuana use is forbidden.

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The study concluded that "three years after recreational marijuana legalization, changes in motor vehicle crash fatality rates for Washington and Colorado were not statistically different from those in similar states without recreational marijuana legalization."

In a prepared statement, Dr. Jayson Aydelotte, lead author and trauma surgeon at the Dell Seton Medical Center at The University of Texas, said his study was the first to examine road injuries in post-legalization states.

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"I'm not surprised by these results, simply based on the types of cases I see in my everyday job as a trauma surgeon," Aydelotte said. "It's rare to see someone in a serious accident who is just high from pot; usually there's alcohol involved, from my experience."

Click through above to see a recent timeline of Houston's evolving marijuana laws.