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

  • US road safety concern over cannabis use
    January 16, 2019
    Concern is being expressed in the US over the correlation between cannabis use and crashes.
    Read More
  • The US needs to address its road safety problems
    November 8, 2019
    The US has serious road safety issues that need to be addressed. In 2018, close to 36,600 people were killed in road crashes, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The fatality rate for 2018 represents a 2.4% drop from 2017. In addition, the road death rate/160 million vehicle km traveled also decreased by 3.4%, from 1.17 in 2017 to 1.13 in 2018. And the NHTSA says it is the lowest fatality rate since 2014. Nearly 36,600 people died on US roadways last year, a
    Read More
  • DFT study highlights prevalence of cellphone use by drivers
    February 25, 2015
    A study on behalf of the Department for Transport by the Transport Research Laboratory into the prevalence of illegal mobile phone use while driving has been released. The TRL has said that the data gives greater understanding of who is using mobile phones while driving and for what purpose, and how this can then be used to support future policy development. The figures show in 2014, 1.1% of drivers in England and Scotland were observed holding a phone in their hand with a further 0.5% observed holding the
    Read More
  • Distracted driving from smartphone use poses a major road safety threat
    December 10, 2013
    Cell phone use while driving is not appreciated amongst drivers for the risk it presents. And with people growing ever more reliant on smartphones and other hand-held devices, the issue of distracted driving looks set to increase. Automotive manufacturers are installing wifi and other technologies in new generation vehicles in a bid to broaden market appeal, particularly to younger drivers. But it seems little thought has been given to the safety risks these pose should drivers attempt to use them when behi
    Read More

Highlighted Content