You can find research that will support either of you. The bottom line is that driving while impaired is stupid and dangerous.
Studies have found irrefutable evidence that driving while under the influence of alcohol impairs judgment and slows reflexes. Legally, a .08 percent blood alcohol concentration (BAC) will get you a charge of driving under the influence (DUI).
Studies have also shown that drivers who have been smoking pot within three hours of driving are nearly twice as likely to cause an accident. Legally, well, pot is still illegal in Kentucky! Scientists are working on establishing a threshold below which marijuana does not impair driving, but most governments apply a zero-tolerance rule.
You have a point when you say that you are probably a safer driver, given your years of driving experience. Also, as child development experts know, teenagers think they are invincible; it’s a phase, and they will grow out of it (Thank God!). Until they do, however, parents need to make sure they know the facts—which they may or may not acknowledge—and hope that the way we brought them up and their own common sense guide them through this risk-taking stage of their lives.
If you or your teenager is injured in a car crash in Kentucky, hire an experienced Louisville accident lawyer. Call Gray and White Law at 502-210-8942 or toll free at 888-450-4456 to set up a FREE, no-obligation consultation.