Half of motorists pulled over on suspicion of drug-driving fail roadside drug tests, an investigation has found, sparking calls for a fresh approach to tackle the “growing epidemic”.
Police figures obtained by road safety charity IAM RoadSmart indicate 51% of tests were positive in 2023, and 49% were positive in the first seven months of last year.
This is based on data provided by 17 out of 45 police forces across the UK in response to Freedom of Information requests.
The message about the dangers of drug-driving is not getting through
Drug-driving rules consist of very low limits for eight illegal drugs such as cocaine and cannabis, risk-based limits for eight drugs that have a medical use, and a separate approach to amphetamines that aims to balance legitimate medical use with abuse.
Roadside swab tests identify whether a motorist has used cannabis or cocaine.
The presence of other drugs is identified via blood and urine tests at police stations.
Police officers must have a reasonable suspicion that a driver is under the influence of drugs before asking them to take a test.
The PA news agency reported last month that 3,431 people were caught drug-driving on four or more occasions in the 11 years to July 20 2024.
Department for Transport (DfT) figures show the number of people killed in crashes on Britain’s roads when a driver was impaired by drugs rose from 55 in 2014 to a record 134 in 2023.
In October 2024, Shaun Mulligan, then 48, of Seaside in Eastbourne, East Sussex, was given a five-year prison sentence and disqualified from driving for seven-and-a-half years after admitting causing death by careless driving while over the limit for drugs and alcohol.
He crashed a scaffolding van into a car travelling in the opposite direction on the A281 near Henfield, West Sussex, in November 2022, killing its 71-year-old driver, Jennifer Allen.
Mulligan tested positive for benzoylecgonine – the chemical breakdown of cocaine – and was nearly double the drink-drive alcohol limit.
IAM RoadSmart 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 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.
“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.”
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander recently hinted that drug-driving rules could be toughened as part of a road safety strategy being developed by the Government.
A DfT spokesperson said: “We take road safety extremely seriously and there are already strict penalties in place for those who are caught drug-driving.
“Our roads are among the safest in the world, but we are committed to improving road safety and reducing the number of those killed and injured on our roads.”
