Cannabis use and traffic accidents in a birth cohort of young adults

Objective: to examine linkages between cannabis use and traffic accident risks in a birth cohort of 907 young New Zealanders studied from 18 to 21 years. Methods: during the course of a 21-year longitudinal study of a birth cohort of 907 New Zealand born children information was gathered on (a) annual frequency of cannabis use over the period from 18 to 21 years; (b) annual rates of traffic accidents during the period 18-21 years; (c) measures of driver behaviours and characteristics. The association between cannabis use and traffic accident risk was examined among the 907 sample members who reported driving a motor vehicle between the ages of 18 and 21 years. Results: there were statistically significant relationships between reported annual cannabis use and annual accident rates. This association was present only for 'active' accidents in which driver behaviours contributed to the accident; those using cannabis more than 50 times per year had estimated rates of active accidents that were 1.6 (95% CI 1.2-2.0) times higher than the rate for non-users. However, statistical control for driver behaviours and characteristics related to cannabis use (drink driving behaviour; risky/illegal driving behaviours; driver attitudes; gender) eliminated the association between cannabis use and traffic accident risks. Conclusions: although cannabis use was associated with increased risks of traffic accidents among members of this birth cohort, these increased risks appear to reflect the characteristics of the young people who used cannabis rather titan the effects of cannabis use on driver performance. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.