We all know about the government's crackdown on DUI’s in Washington, and we all know that pot use was recently legalized here in Washington. Now the two are intertwined more than ever before.
Recent data from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission appears to evidence that the number of drivers involved in fatal crashes with THC in their body increased from 38 in 2013 to 75 over the past year. This increase seems to be in line with the opening of state regulated pot stores in 2014. Interestingly the data shows that half the drivers with active THC in their system were also under the influence of alcohol. So that begs the question, do Washington drivers now feel more comfortable driving after consuming pot compared to years past?
In Washington if ‘active’ THC exceeds 5 nanograms per milliliter of blood, that is enough to convict a driver of DUI regardless of any other evidence. So regardless of whether one feels safe driving after consuming marijuana, he/ she best be smart about doing it because the government is watching and is aggressively trying to hunt down impaired drivers, whether by alcohol, drugs or both.
If you are cited for an alcohol or drug DUI in Washington state it is smart to immediately seek the assistance of a Seattle DUI lawyer. A qualified and respected Seattle DUI attorney, among other things, can quite possibly save a person thousands of dollars in court and insurance fees, extent of loss of privilege to drive and amount of jail time to be served. Washington DUI laws are far too complicated for any ol’ attorney to handle. Be smart … hire a qualified and skilled Seattle DUI attorney when arrested for DUI in Washington State.