New Rules To Catch Drug Drivers & Changes To Drink Drive Rules

Friday, 22. April 2011

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Whilst I’ve reported on drug driving on several occasions it now seems that the Government is about to start taking more positive action against offenders. Transport minister Philip Hammond has given the green light to proposals to tackle the problem. One proposal is to introduce a new criminal offence that will be specific to drug driving. This will remove the need for the police to prove the driver to be incapable on a case by case basis when they have detected drug taking. I reported some time ago the proposal that a ‘drugalyser’ be installed at police stations, Hammond has finally agreed to this move as well as making kits available for roadside testing.

In the past those driving whilst under the influence of drugs have believed that would not be caught and prosecuted, Hammond is determined to stop this and ensure that those driving whilst under the influence of drugs to be just as likely to be caught as those drink driving.

Police station nurses will in future be able to advise police on whether an arrested driver is under the influence of drugs, thereby avoiding the need to call out doctors, speeding up the testing process. On the other hand Hammond has said that he won’t be changing the drink drive limits after calls from safety groups and recommended by the Government commissioned North Report.

However he will remove the right to demand a blood test for those found just over the limit following the breath test as many have been able to sober up between the initial breath test and the blood test after waiting for a doctor to attend.

Up until that point I could see the point of the proposals but surely if you are only just over the limit on the breath test, that is the time when you would want a blood test as you might actually be just under? I mean if you are twice the limit when you have the breath test you hardly need a bloody blood analysis do you? Any views – let’s have them? By Graham Hill