Police chief backs drug driving offence

POLICE chief John Dwyer believes a proposed drug-driving offence would play a major role in reducing deaths and injuries on the roads.
The Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner said, “The issue of people driving when they have used drugs is causing increasing concern. Nationwide figures for 2010 show impairment by drugs, either illegal or medicinal, was a contributory factor in road traffic collisions which resulted in more than a thousand casualties, including 51 deaths.
“In my election manifesto, I called for a zero tolerance approach to drug-driving. I also gave a commitment to press for legislation to make it easier to assess whether a driver is under the influence of drugs.”
The proposals debated yesterday (Jan 14), in the House of Commons would result in a panel of experts drawing up a schedule of specified drugs and setting threshold levels for each of those drugs in blood or urine, just as we already have for alcohol. In the case of some drugs the limit will be zero.
Drivers found to be over the set limits will face up to six months in prison, a £5,000 fine and a minimum 12 months driving ban. I am sure that is a move many people will welcome.”
The new law could be force early in 2014.
Final testing for drugs will be carried out in police stations. Police patrols will be issued with equipment similar to the existing alcohol breath test kits to carry out ‘first stage? roadside drug tests.
Mr Dwyer added: “People are already prosecuted for driving while unfit because of drugs but the prosecution must prove the driver?s ability is impaired. The evidence for that is provided by roadside FIT tests (Field Impairment Tests). They are open to a degree of interpretation. The proposed new law would take away that ‘impairment? element and make prosecution much more straightforward.
Cheshire Police played a leading role in the introduction of FIT tests and I am sure the introduction of a drug-driving offence along the lines being proposed would assist officers and act as a significant deterrent to people who are a danger to themselves and to the rest of us who use the roads.”