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Government to target drug drivers in new crackdown

Police to get new powers, possibly including roadside testing kits

The government has announced that equipment allowing police officers to test motorists suspected of driving under the influence of drugs is to be rolled out across the UK over the next two years.

Under current rules, police have to secure authorisation from a doctor before subjecting a suspect to a drugs test, but under the new proposals, that will no longer be necessary, and the government is also looking at whether kits can be developed to enable drivers to be tested at the roadside.

AFP reports that detailed specification of testing devices is likely to be sent to manufacturers by the end of next month, and that trials of the equipment at police stations should begin within the next year.

Road safety minister Mike Penning commented: "It is vital that the police have the tools they need to tackle those who drive while impaired by drugs.”

He continued: "This selfish minority show a flagrant disregard, not only for their own lives, but for the safety of others and we are determined to tackle this menace."

Also, £300,000 is being invested by The Home Office, Department for Transport and the Technology Strategy Board into additional research into testing equipment, including kits suitable for testing at the roadside, as well as devices that can test for a broader range of drugs than is possible at the moment.

In June, Sir Peter North published his independent review, commissioned by the previous government, into laws on drink and drug driving and recommended a reduction in the drink-driving limit and a crackdown on driving while under the influence of drugs.

Road safety organisations have welcomed the government’s proposals, with AA President Edmund King saying: "The AA has long been highlighting the hidden problems of drugs and driving so we are delighted that these issues are being addressed.

He added: "We believe that having a drugalyser in police stations will make police work easier and act as a deterrent to drug-drivers."

Meanwhile, Professor Stephen Glaister, director of the RAC Foundation, commented: "At last the technology has caught up with the political will and the public mood."

 

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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5 comments

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OldRidgeback | 13 years ago
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TiNuts - yep, you got it. Riding a bicycle or motorcycle I have my head in the open air and most dope smokers seem to drive with their windows open. It isn't hard to spot them. There is also a pattern to the types of vehicle they drive, white vans figure highly in the figures from what I can tell. Old and battered vehicle sin poor condition also seem to have a lot of dope smokers at the wheel.

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skippy | 13 years ago
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Drug testing kits have been in use successfully in Australia for a number of years in New South Wales and Victoria. It might save the Home Office a bit of time and money if they use the same well proven kits. People driving under the influence of drugs are all too common in London. On my commute by bicycle or motorcycle to work I pass about two/day.

would not occur to them to use proven equipment, same as Oz was years into success with Seatbelts and Random breath tests before the penny dropped in Europe.
Could be the treasury has just woken up to the possibility of a new revenue stream

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horizontal dropout | 13 years ago
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"pass about two/day"

How do you tell?

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TiNuts replied to horizontal dropout | 13 years ago
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horizontal dropout wrote:

"pass about two/day"

How do you tell?

Usually by the clouds of distinctive smelling smoke emanating from their open windows!

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OldRidgeback | 13 years ago
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Drug testing kits have been in use successfully in Australia for a number of years in New South Wales and Victoria. It might save the Home Office a bit of time and money if they use the same well proven kits. People driving under the influence of drugs are all too common in London. On my commute by bicycle or motorcycle to work I pass about two/day.

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