As winter settles in and holiday gatherings fill the calendar, CAA is sharing an important reminder: cannabis edibles and driving don’t mix. New research commissioned by CAA shows that edibles significantly impair driving ability for hours — long after many users assume they’re safe to get behind the wheel.
With snow on the ground and seasonal road conditions already affecting visibility and reaction time, the risks are even higher. This holiday season, we’re encouraging Niagara residents to plan a safe ride home if they choose to consume cannabis.
According to new CAA polling, 1 in 5 Canadians reports having driven while high or ridden as a passenger with someone under the influence of cannabis. The trend is especially common among young drivers — a group that already faces heightened road safety risks.
Edibles have become increasingly popular since legalization, but they come with unique concerns:
These factors make it easy for users to underestimate their impairment, creating dangerous situations on the road.
Driving safely starts with awareness — check out our Winter Driving Tips or Winter Car Checklist to prepare for seasonal hazards.
Whether you’re heading to a holiday dinner, office party, or New Year’s celebration, a quick plan can prevent a dangerous situation:
A new simulator-based study from the University of Saskatchewan — funded by CAA — shows just how significantly cannabis edibles impact driving performance over time.
Key findings include:
These insights highlight the real danger of getting behind the wheel too soon after consuming edibles.
To help young Canadians make safer choices, CAA National has launched a new campaign focused on cannabis-edible impairment. The campaign highlights how everyday tasks, like tying your shoes, grabbing a snack, or answering the door, can feel unexpectedly difficult after consuming an edible.
These everyday scenarios reinforce a simple, memorable message:
If you can’t drive your body, you can’t drive your car.
For a deeper look at how cannabis affects driving — and what CAA is doing to keep roads safer — visit CAA National's cannabis-impaired driving resource page.
Winter weather already adds challenges — reduced traction, longer stopping distances, and poor visibility. Adding cannabis impairment on top of that multiplies the risk.
For more resources to stay safe on Niagara roads: