One in two motorists pulled over on suspicion of drug-driving are failing roadside drug tests, according to data obtained by a road safety charity.
IAM RoadSmart submitted Freedom of Information requests to all 45 police forces in the UK, with 31 forces, including the Metropolitan Police, providing data.
Data provided by 17 of the 31 police forces showed that in 2023 more than half 51% of drivers tested positive during roadside testing. In the first seven months of 2024, 49% of drivers tested positive.
Police Scotland recorded the most failed tests (526) in December 2023 and January 2024 – one of the prime times of the year for catching offenders – followed by Greater Manchester Police with 397 and Surrey Police with 368.
IAM RoadSmart said the number of deceased drivers with ‘impairment drugs’ present has also increased by over 70% from 2014 to 2022, leading to concerns that drug users continue to get behind the wheel despite the dangers.
Policy manager William Porter said: ‘The fact that one in two motorists are failing roadside drugs tests shows that the message about the dangers of drug-driving is not getting through.
‘Separate research by IAM RoadSmart indicates that one in seven (16%) drivers aged 17-34 admitted to getting behind the wheel after taking class A drugs, indicating how vital it is to tackle this growing epidemic.’
He added: ‘We urgently need a new approach to combat drug-driving which focuses on both greater enforcement and establishing rehabilitation courses to reduce reoffending.
‘The evidence shows that those taking equivalent drink-drive courses are almost three times less likely to reoffend than those who don’t. Ministers must consider expanding similar courses to those with drug-driving convictions.’
‘Impairment drugs’ fall into three categories: psychoactive medications such as benzodiazepines; psychoactive drugs that could be prescribed, abused or used in emergency medical treatment such as morphine, alfentanil, fentanyl, ketamine; and drugs that are prone to abuse, such as cocaine and LSD, which have no medical use according to The Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001.
Police do not need a reason to stop a vehicle but must have a reasonable suspicion that the motorist is under the influence of drugs before asking them to submit to a drug test.
A roadside swab test for cannabis and cocaine was introduced in 2015 but some forces only started recording data in 2023.
IAM RoadSmart said this means that the number of drivers with drugs detected is likely to be much higher.
