UK police to start using drug testing kits on drivers

In the UK police are finally to be issued with a new drug testing kit. This development follows trials of testing technology able to detect the presence of illegal drugs using samples from drivers. The kit that has been approved by the UK authorities can analyse a mouth swab for traces of cannabis. Systems capable of determining the presence of other drugs are in development at present. This new kit for checking on the presence of cannabis will be used at police stations, and does away with the need to have
January 8, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
In the UK police are finally to be issued with a new drug testing kit. This development follows trials of testing technology able to detect the presence of illegal drugs using samples from drivers. The kit that has been approved by the UK authorities can analyse a mouth swab for traces of cannabis. Systems capable of determining the presence of other drugs are in development at present. This new kit for checking on the presence of cannabis will be used at police stations, and does away with the need to have a doctor take a blood sample for drug testing. Data shows that during 2011, at least 640 accidents were caused by drivers who were confirmed as having either illegal or medicinal drugs present in their system. According to official Department of Transport statistics, this included 49 deaths. Previous research has revealed a high incidence of drivers using drugs. Young drivers in the 17-24 age range pose a particularly high risk in this regard, and cannabis has been identified as one of the most widely used illegal drugs by drivers. Trials of drug testing kits have been carried out in various parts of the UK to asses the performance of the technology and confirm the validity of the results. However, these have already been used by police in some countries (such as Australia) for some time.

Related Content

  • TISPOL Conference: autonomous vehicles high on safety agenda
    February 2, 2017
    Safety and autonomous vehicles exercised the minds of some of Europe’s senior police officers at the recent TISPOL European Traffic Police Network Conference in the UK. The European Union looks like missing its target of halving the number of people killed on its roads each year by 2020. Just when European police forces are trying to get back on target, along comes the autonomous vehicle with all its inherent safety issues.
    Read More
  • US road safety is a cause for concern
    September 6, 2021
    There is concern over a worrying trend in US road safety, while there have been steady gains in road safety in Europe
    Read More
  • Efficient asset management to trim maintenance budgets
    January 22, 2014
    Transport infrastructure is taken for granted in many, if not most, developed countries. This has resulted in a shortage of investment in maintenance, posing potential long term cost issues. In many developing nations transport networks are expanding fast, but insufficient thought is also being given to how these will be maintained.
    Read More
  • Kazakhstan’s high road risks claim lives
    February 1, 2018
    Kazakhstan has amongst the worst road safety of any country in the world. Around 3,000 people die in road crashes in the country every year, while a further 30,000 people are seriously injured. This worrying statistic reveals that Kazakhstan’s roads are so dangerous that around 24 people/1,000,000 of population are killed every year in road crashes. This figure shows that Kazakhstan’s roads are around 11 times more dangerous than those of Norway, one of the safest countries in the world for road travel.
    Read More

Highlighted Content