This November, Californian’s will most likely get to vote on whether or not the state will legalize the usage of marijuana.  But it’s chances might be hurt when a opponents show that smoking pot and driving a car can lead to personal injuries.

The San Diego Union Tribune reports that a 24-year-old Temecula man with a medical marijuana prescription caused thirteen car accidents.  Two people were sent to the hospital for minor injuries, but thankfully this drugged driver didn’t cause wrongful death.  The threat of a fatal car accident was real enough.

Our firm’s Escondido car accident lawyers know that driving under the influence (DUI) of drugs is something that no one should ever do.  DUI usually refers to drinking and driving, but make no mistake: reckless driving happens when motorists take legal prescription drugs or do illegal narcotics of another kind.

The drugged driver started his crashing spree around 2:40 p.m. on March 25, 2010 along the Bear Valley Parkway section of Escondido, slamming his SUV into at least seven other cars in the area.  He did not stop for any of the accidents, instead, flipping a U-turn onto the other side of the road and drove the wrong way, making other car dodge him as he barreled down the road.

Six more car accidents occurred as the man headed towards I-15, crashing head-on into a 1998 Nissan Pathfinder near Via Rancho Parkway, and coming to a stop.  Escondido police approached the driver who put his medical marijuana card (for an undisclosed condition) on display as an explanation for his erratic behavior.  He then hit the face of one police officer as they arrested and charged him for suspicion of felony hit-and-run, assaulting an officer of the peace, and driving under the influence of marijuana.

All told, the man caused thirteen accidents in a one-mile stretch of road.

The San Diego car accident lawyers at our firm know that people will not stop smoking pot, whether with a legal prescription or illegally without one, but it is our job to educate everyone about the dangers of using marijuana and a motor vehicle at the same time.  Legalization or not, marijuana and driving still don’t mix, and driving under the influence of drugs, we hope, will always be illegal.

If you or a loved one were injured in an automobile accident you didn’t cause, then we urge you to contact our bilingual offices as soon as possible at 1-858-551-2090 or please click here for a FREE consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney in San Diego.  We handle all cases on a contingency fee basis, which means that you owe us nothing until we recover money on your behalf.