New research released today by Confused.com reveals that one in five Brits (19%) admit to having driven under the influence of drugs.
This is at odds with official data obtained from Police Forces across the UK, which shows that only 1,132 people were convicted of drug driving in 2012, down by 12.5% from 2011 (1,294 convictions). This worrying disparity between those who admit to drug-driving and those actually being caught suggests the need for more drug testing on British roads.
Of those who admit to using drugs whilst behind the wheel, 7% were under the influence of illegal drugs and 12% were using prescription drugs. Drugs recorded by Police include class A-C drugs such as cannabis, heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, amphetamines, ketamine and prescription medication such as morphine and codeine.
Cannabis is the most common illegal drug that people admit to using when driving under the influence (18%), with a further one in ten (10%) admitting to getting behind the wheel having used dangerous class A substances such as cocaine, MDMA and amphetamines.
Worryingly, of those who have been convicted, more than half have been caught twice (56%), and one in five (21%) have offended three times or more. And it's young drivers who are the worst offenders, with 18-24 year olds the most likely to get behind the wheel when using drugs (25%).
More than a quarter of people (27%) admit to knowing someone who has driven under the influence of drugs, and one in ten (12%) have been in a car being driven by someone who they suspected had taken drugs.
Of those who admit to driving under the influence of drugs, the majority were taking prescription rather than illegal drugs (12% vs 7%).
Whilst public awareness is higher around drink driving, the effects of drugs on people's driving ability are not as well known. People across the UK regularly take prescription and over the counter drugs such as anti-depressants, painkillers, anti-histamines and cough mixtures, all of which can have a sedative effect, yet most of these people probably think it's totally safe for them to drive.
One in ten people (9%) admit to never reading the advice leaflet when taking medication to see if they could suffer from possible side effects, such as drowsiness and/or tiredness, which could make it unsafe for them to drive. Worryingly, a third of people (33%) say that they've felt ill after taking prescription or over the counter medication, and of these a fifth (20%) have gone on to get behind the wheel of a car.
The nation as a whole appears to feel strongly about drug driving, with nearly three quarters of Brits (72%) calling for harsher penalties for those caught driving under the influence of drugs. However, a quarter of Brits (25%) believe that penalties should be less severe for people caught driving under the influence of prescription drugs who have certain illnesses that require them to take medication.
Despite drug-driving being a major problem for UK road users, some may think the Government have been slow to act. Plans to make it easier to prosecute people who drive under the influence of illegal drugs in England and Wales have only recently been unveiled.*
Prosecutions are to begin using newly approved ‘drugalysers', which will measure at the roadside whether limits have been exceeded. The new system will analyse mouth swabs for traces of cannabis, but currently there is no form of roadside testing for other dangerous substances, which may explain why so few drug-drivers using other substances are being caught by police.
For those potentially lethal drug-drivers who are caught, they could face a 12-month ban, six months' jail and up to a £5,000 fine under Britain's first ever official drug-drive limits coming into force next year.** For these convicted motorists, not only will they face lengthy bans and costly fines, they are also risking increased car insurance premiums.
Drug Driving Convictions 2011-2013
1. Hampshire Constabulary - 195
2. South Yorkshire Police - 155
3. Merseyside Police - 146
4. Northern Ireland Police Service - 114
5. Cheshire Constabulary - 100
According to FOI data obtained from 30 UK Police Forces (June 2013)
Gemma Stanbury, Head of Car Insurance at Confused.com comments:
"Drug driving is one of the most serious crimes a driver can commit and one that needs to be addressed to make our roads safer. Road safety should be a top priority and in order to achieve this we need to ensure that the right laws, limits and learning are in place here in the UK.
"The introduction of roadside drug testing to identify certain illegal substances is a good step in the right direction, however the ability to recognise and prosecute for all drugs is needed to really clamp down on drug-driving motorists. The good news is that as our research suggests, any increase in penalties or changes to the law has the overwhelming support of British road users.
"Crashes caused by driving whilst under the influence of drugs are totally avoidable - there are far too many drivers willing to risk the lives of themselves and others by getting behind the wheel after taking a dangerous substance. Motorists convicted of drug-driving might also see their insurance premiums rocket and some may find it difficult to find a provider to insure them if they have a previous drug-driving conviction."
For more information visit http://www.confused.com/car-insurance
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