New figures highlight growing problem of drugs driving

A quarter of all drivers and motorbike riders killed on Northern Ireland’s roads last year, and tested for drugs, were positive, it was disclosed today.

Drugs-driving is an increasing menace on the roads, with the number of detections more than doubling in the last six years – with cannabis the most commonly found.

The details were released as the UK Department of Environment and Police Service launched a new anti-drugs driving road safety advertising campaign with the slogan, You’ll Get Smashed If You Drive On Drugs.

Angela Smith, UK Minister responsible for the DoE, said: “Drugs driving is widespread throughout Northern Ireland. Illegal and prescription drugs can impair judgment, driving and ultimately kill.”

Launching the campaign at a popular night-club in Belfast the minister said that while the problems caused by drink drivers was well known, the battle against those unfit to drive through drugs was just beginning.

The aim of the campaign was to “advise everyone that drugs driving is an emerging problem in Northern Ireland, that the police will now be actively carrying out field impairment tests on drivers whom they suspect are driving under the influence of drugs,” she said.

Just like drinkers, those found guilty would be fined, disqualified from driving or imprisoned, she warned.

Ms Smith said: “The campaign message is simple – You’ll Get Smashed If You Drive On Drugs.”

Central to the awareness campaign is a £100,000 (€145,000) TV commercial, “Smashed“. It portrays the field impairment tests process which police will now carry out at the road side to detect drugs impairment because of both illegal "recreational" drugs and prescription drugs and the possible consequences if driving while impaired by drugs.

Chief Inspector Brian Kee, deputy head of the PSNI Road Policing Development Branch, said: “Drugs-driving is a growing threat to road safety.

“In 1997 we made 39 detections for drugs driving. Last year there were 82. The most common – some 60% – related to cannabis, but ecstasy, cocaine and heroin were also found.”

In addition there was a tendency for people to mix drugs and alcohol which became an even more lethal mixture, he said.

He said it was important to stress that somebody’s ability to drive may be equally impaired by legal drugs prescribed by their doctor or those bought over the counter.

“These can be of great benefit to people’s health but it is important to read the instructions carefully,” said Chief Inspector Kee.

The extent of the drugs problem was disclosed by police figures which show that since the start of 2001 tests have been carried out on the bodies of 187 dead drivers and riders, and 44 tested positive for drugs.

However, the number who died as a result of drugs-driving could well be higher than those tests show. Motorists who die in hospital some time after an accident are not tested because of the drugs administered during efforts to save them.

Police officers across the North have now been trained in new detection techniques, he added.

“Drugs-driving is killing and seriously injuring people on our roads. For those tempted to take impairing drugs and drive, I can assure them that the Police Service is better prepared than ever to detect them and put them before the courts.”