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Like a small handful of states, it is legal to possess marijuana for recreational use in Oregon. It’s illegal to drive while under the influence of marijuana, as well as alcohol and other recreational drugs. Commercial truck drivers are especially held to a high standard.
While many truck drivers generally behave responsibly, there are some that bend the rules. If they don’t get caught by police or face disciplinary action from the companies that employ them, they could put countless lives in danger.
Operating a large commercial truck isn’t the same as driving a car. It takes far more skill, attentiveness, judgment and control, all of which can be impaired by marijuana.
How many truckers smoke pot?
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently released a report that found that marijuana was the most common substance found in drug tests administered to truck drivers.
The test results reported in the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse were from drug tests administered to truck drivers from September 2019 to May 2020. The report also provides the names of truck drivers who have failed drug tests in real time.
During that testing period, 19,849 truck drivers tested positive for at least one substance. In total, 21,156 substances were identified in the tests, meaning that some drivers tested positive for more than one substance.
Marijuana was the most common substance found in the tests, amounting to 10,388 drivers who tested positive for it. The second most common substance found was cocaine (3,192 positive) and the third was methamphetamine (2,184 positive).
The legalization of marijuana and the widespread use of CBD products makes it more likely that truck drivers will test positive, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. That’s because many CBD products contain THC, the psychoactive component to marijuana.
Contact our Portland law firm if you were hurt in a truck crash
There is no excuse for operating a large truck while under the influence of marijuana or any other substance that causes impairment. When truck drivers break the law and endanger others they can be held accountable.
Truck accident claims aren’t easy to pursue, however. Trucking companies may go to great lengths to cover up any wrongdoing on part of their drivers. In addition, the insurance companies that represent them will use every trick in the book to avoid losing money, including offering a small settlement that only pays a fraction of your losses.
If you or a loved one was hurt in a truck crash, get an experienced Portland attorney on your side who knows how to take on the trucking companies and their insurers. Zbinden & Curtis, Attorneys at Law will fight to help you and your family get compensated for every penny owed to you.
To learn how, contact us online. We offer free case evaluations.
