The Department for Transport is setting up the panel of academics and scientists to advise on whether or not drug-driving rules could be implemented in a similar way to the UK’s current drink-driving laws.
Department for Transport figures show that drug driving was cited by police as a “contributory factor” in 1,094 road traffic accidents in 2010, including 51 fatal accidents.
The road safety minister, Mike Penning, said: “Britain has some of the safest roads in the world but we know how important it is to tackle the menace of drug-driving. That is why we are putting together experts to give us advice on the technical aspects of introducing an offence of driving with an illegal drug in your body.”
The panel will consider if it is possible to set drug equivalents to the drink-drive blood alcohol level. The DfT lists cocaine, MDMA, cannabis and opiates as the main drugs for consideration, but prescription and legally obtained drugs can also affect driving ability, especially in combination.
Andrew Howard, head of road safety at the AA, said: “The big question is – how can you talk about an acceptable level of something that’s illegal to possess? If it’s zero, then you have a law that’s about the use of a substance and not driving. Our members are definitely in favour of a law that affects you if you’re impaired, and 75% want it to be zero tolerance.”
However, Steve Rolles, of the drug policy foundation Transform, said: “Clearly anything that impairs road safety is a legitimate concern. Blood alcohol is a good test, but cannabis testing doesn’t do that. You can have a positive test a month later in the bloodstream but you’re only impaired for a day. So there’s a danger you are going to criminalise drug use by default.”
Roadside drug testing kits, or “drugalysers”, are already used in Australia, where the state of Victoria pioneered drug-drive testing in 2004. Using saliva tests, police can, in five minutes, test for MDMA, methamphetamine (found in speed and crystal meth) and THC, the active component in cannabis.
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MJP Motoring Solicitors
Jan, 04, 2012