Drug driving - Escalating problem has to be tackled

After the introduction of the penalty points system there was a distinct reduction in road accidents and fatalities, but there has been an alarming increase in the death rate in recent months.

While this increase has been partly attributed to a failure to implement the penalty points scheme properly, there is disturbing evidence that it may also be attributed to a dramatic increase in the number of people driving under the influence of drugs, especially cocaine.

In the past year, the number of drivers testing positive for cocaine-use has almost quadrupled, according to figures released by the Medical Bureau of Road Safety.