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UK: Police struggling to cope with drug-driving problem David Ewen Aberdeen Evening Express Friday 20 Jun 2003 Just four tests for drug driving have been carried out in Grampian this year. And nobody has been charged, the Evening Express can reveal. Despite promises to catch offenders, police are struggling to get to grips with a problem that has cost North-east lives. But safety campaigners say officers are being hampered by a test that is "too long, too convoluted and too expensive". The roadside impairment test was introduced in Scotland two years ago in a blaze of publicity. Drivers suspected of being under the influence of drugs are asked to perform tasks such as walking in a straight line and standing on one leg and touching the end of their nose. Officers will check if the pupils are constricted or dilated and ask drivers to estimate the passing of 30 seconds. The Scottish Executive spent nearly £200,000 on a television advert. Since the test's introduction, few convictions have been brought. Only 41 tests have been carried out in Grampian - with 12 people charged. Inspector Malcolm McMillan of Grampian's traffic department admitted the job of detecting drug drivers could be frustrating. He said: "It's not the greatest test, but it's better than we've had and we're glad we've got it. "It's another part of the jigsaw that makes the decision to arrest someone more informed." Research by the Scottish Executive shows around one in 10 people have driven under the influence of illegal drugs, one in 20 having done so in the last year. The RAC motoring organisation estimates around one in five fatalities are now caused by drug drivers - equal to around six a year in Grampian. Last year Durham Police force found that half of all those killed on its roads had drugs in their system - traces of either cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy or another prescription drug that shouldn't have been taken while driving. Grampian Police has confirmed there have been drug-driving deaths, but haven't carried out any detailed testing. Insp McMillan said: "There's no doubt there are a lot of drug drivers out there. "It's the culture now. We have a new generation coming through." Drugs can impair people's judgment, just like alcohol. Drug drivers can misjudge distance, suffer delayed reactions and lapses of concentration - and take risks. But as yet there is no equivalent of the handy roadside breathalyser used to detect alcohol. The Department of Transport admitted that if "a person is suspected of taking drugs and driving it is very difficult to prove it". Drivers who fail the impairment test will find themselves examined by a police doctor and may be asked for a blood sample. However, samples have to be sent to a special lab for analysis. Sue Nicolson, Scottish spokeswoman for the RAC Foundation, said: "We have a situation where a police officer has to suspect someone of drug driving and carry out a roadside procedure. "Then there's still a need for a police surgeon. "It's a very long, convoluted and expensive process." The RAC and British Medical Association are calling on the Government to develop a practical drug detector like the alcohol breathalyser. However, the police are also hampered by the law. When it comes to drink driving, they just have to prove the presence of alcohol in somebody's system. If an officer smells drink on a driver's breath, they can ask for a sample. But with the drug driving they must prove impairment - and that's much less straightforward. Insp McMillan said: "It makes our job difficult and the job of the courts more difficult." Bringing the drug-driving law in line with alcohol has its own difficulties. Insp McMillan said: "You can't set a limit for drugs in the system or it could be seen to be condoning drug taking." A zero tolerance policy is unlikely to be introduced in Scotland, especially when drug use laws are being relaxed across the UK. In any case, producing a roadside device that distinguishes between different types of drugs will be hard, warns the BMA. Prescription drugs, for example, can also have a similar chemical make-up to illegal drugs. The offence is recorded as driving while under the influence of drink or drugs. Offenders are treated like drink drivers and can expect a minimum one-year ban, but their behaviour could result in a jail sentence. Grampian Police believes education has a major role to play, with many drug drivers ignorant of the risks they take - or of the police's increased ability to catch them. The force has distributed thousands of leaflets spelling out the dangers, and is patrolling areas where they've had reports of it taking place. At the moment only traffic officers are being trained to detect impairment, and Grampian still only has a quarter of its department trained. Insp McMillan said: "As more officers are trained, we'll get more detections."
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