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. 2023 Dec:193:107300.
doi: 10.1016/j.aap.2023.107300. Epub 2023 Sep 18.

Longitudinal perspectives of riding with a cannabis-impaired driver

Barbara C Banz  1 , Deepa R Camenga  2 , Kaigang Li  3 , Vanessa Zuniga  2 , Ronald J Iannotti  4 , Candice Grayton  4 , Denise L Haynie  5 , Bruce G Simons-Morton  5 , Leslie Curry  6 , Federico E Vaca  7
Affiliations

Longitudinal perspectives of riding with a cannabis-impaired driver

Barbara C Banz et al. Accid Anal Prev. 2023 Dec.

Abstract

Objective: To explore decisions and perceptions of engaging in riding with a cannabis-impaired driver (RWI) during high school and young adulthood to build context around RWI-cannabis events.

Methods: Participants were sampled from the NEXT Generation Health Study (NEXT), a 7-year national cohort study of adolescent health behaviors. Four RWI and driving while impaired (DWI) trajectories classes (i.e., Abstainer, Escalator, Decliner, Persister) were previously derived.A theoretical model based on ecological systems theory guidedin-depth semi-structured interviews to includecomplex, social-developmental and environmental multi-level factors affectingpersonal experiences with RWI-cannabis during high school, after high school, and during young adulthood. Participants (n = 105) were purposively selected from each trajectory class for follow-up, in-depth, qualitative interviews. All interviews were conducted via Zoom between March and September 2020.

Results: Two unique themes emerged as facilitators of RWI-cannabis: "Driving Context" and "Trust in Driver". "Legal Concerns" and "Concerns with Safety Emerge with Age" were themes that described deterrents to RWI-cannabis.

Conclusions: Current data suggest that youth RWI-cannabis occurs during daytime hours and while driving to everyday activities. Youth report legal concerns as a potential deterrent to RWI-cannabis in high school and concerns for safety emerge in young adulthood. The multifaceted nature of RWI-cannabis among young drivers identifies potential complexities for programming designed to reduce RWI/DWI-cannabis.

Keywords: Cannabis; Drug impaired driving; Impaired driving; Marijuana; Youth.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

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