Roadside drug tests for UK drivers

The police in England and Wales are introducing roadside tests to check whether drivers are under the influence of drugs. The crackdown on drug driving will see recently approved testing kits being used by traffic officers for enforcement purposes. Concern has been expressed following recent studies showing large numbers of drivers get behind the wheel while under the influence of drugs. Young male drivers pose a particular risk for getting behind the wheel while under the influence of drugs. There are also
January 27, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
The police in England and Wales are introducing roadside tests to check whether drivers are under the influence of drugs. The crackdown on drug driving will see recently approved testing kits being used by traffic officers for enforcement purposes. Concern has been expressed following recent studies showing large numbers of drivers get behind the wheel while under the influence of drugs. Young male drivers pose a particular risk for getting behind the wheel while under the influence of drugs. There are also proven links showing a high incidence of those using drugs being involved in a range of driving offences as well as crimes such as burglary. With the new kits finally being introduced to police, drivers being stopped on suspicion of being under the influence will not know whether they will be tested for drink, drugs or both. The kits use saliva samples to test for an array of different drugs and received official approval following a series of tests carried out by police forces across the country.

Related Content

  • Poor road safety causes too many deaths
    December 13, 2016
    Road safety is an issue that rarely grabs headlines, although it is something that affects people around the globe. Road deaths account for a shockingly high percentage of deaths worldwide, with the risks being particularly high in developing countries. This poses such a threat to public health that the United Nations has been taking steps to address the issue, commencing with its Decade of Action on Road Safety in 2010. The focus has been on developing countries, due to the rapid increase in road deaths in
    Read More
  • Kenya to boost road safety with tough traffic enforcement
    December 3, 2012
    Road safety in Kenya looks set to improve following the introduction of tough new traffic laws. The much tougher penalties now in effect include the maximum sentence of a life term for causing death instead of the previous 10 years. Meanwhile driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs will result in fines of up to US$5,750 or a prison term of up to 10 years, or both. The fine for driving under the influence was previously just $172. The fines for speeding or driving on the pavement have been incr
    Read More
  • Drop in US road deaths for 2024
    May 23, 2025
    The US has seen a drop in road deaths and a road safety improvement for 2024.
    Read More
  • Learning record
    June 4, 2019
    Learning record A young driver in Germany managed to be banned from driving a mere 49 minutes after passing his test. Perhaps in jubilation at having passed the test, and no longer having to rely on his friends or ‘dad’s taxi' for transport, the 18 year-old driver inadvisedly pressed pedal to metal. Officers in the town of Hemer, near Dortmund, used a laser unit to determine the vehicle’s speed, seeing that it was travelling at 95km/h in a 50km/h zone. Perhaps he was trying to show his driving skills to hi
    Read More

Highlighted Content