Road Safety Authority launches campaign to raise awareness about 'deadly threat' of drug-driving

Assistant garda commissioner for roads policing Paula Hilman said gardaí were encountering more people failing roadside drug tests.

A new advertising campaign has been launched aimed at showing the “serious and life-altering consequences” of driving under the influence of drugs.

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) launched the new campaign to coincide with the joint appeal with An Garda Síochána urging drivers to be safe on the roads this May bank holiday weekend.

The RSA said it aimed to correct public misconceptions and raise awareness around the reality and risks of drug-driving, particularly for younger people.

It said even small quantities of drugs could impair a person's ability to drive safely, and driving under the influence could lead to someone losing their job, restrict their ability to travel internationally and affect their personal relationships.

“Drug-driving is a hidden but deadly threat on our roads,” RSA chief executive Sam Waide said.

This campaign is about more than law enforcement — it’s about changing mindsets, especially among young drivers. We want to foster a zero-tolerance culture where drug-driving is deemed as totally unacceptable, between drivers and their passengers on the road.

Last year, the Medical Bureau of Road Safety received 4,348 samples for drug analysis, a 12% increase on the year before.

In almost three-quarters (73%) of the positive drug results, the drivers were under 44 years of age and most were men. Cannabis and cocaine were the top two drugs found.

While gardaí were supplied with 20,000 roadside drug-testing devices in 2023, this has more than doubled to 45,000 this year.

A survey last year found more than two in five drivers (42%) admitted they had little or no knowledge about drug-driving laws. This lack of awareness was highest among 18-24-year-olds.

Furthermore, two in three drivers thought it was unlikely they would be tested for drugs during a typical weekly journey, with a similar proportion unaware gardaí could test them for drugs at the roadside.

Almost one in five drivers aged 18-24 said they know someone who had driven after taking illicit drugs.

Assistant garda commissioner for roads policing Paula Hilman said gardaí were encountering more people failing roadside drug tests.

“We will have an increased presence on our roads across the country this bank holiday weekend and are urging all drivers to make safe choices — never drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol,” she added.

Separately, a new static speed safety camera will come into operation in Cork on Friday. Drivers speeding on the N22 at Farnanes will receive a €160 fine and three penalty points.

Gardaí have said static speed cameras have been shown to reduce speeding in other countries, with the locations for them chosen based on fatal and serious injury crash data from the last decade.