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UK: RAC backs nationwide drug-drive initiative

Jim Dunn

The Scotsman

Wednesday 21 Jan 2004

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ENGLAND and Wales are lagging behind Scotland in the fight against
drug-driving, it has emerged, as a new series of television advertisements
warning of the clangers is launched in Northern Ireland.

For more than a year, the Scottish Executive has been running a
high-profile campaign on the same subject. But, as the number of drug-drive
cases increases, government departments responsible for road safety in
England and Wales - the countries with the largest concentration of
motorists - are not committed to such high-profile campaigns.

The RAC Foundation is calling on the government to urgently review its
position and alert drivers to the hazards of combining driving with illegal
drugs and some over-the-counter and prescription medicines.

Edmund King, the executive director of the RAC Foundation, said: "We are
delighted that these new ads will be running to
combat the shocking statistics that a quarter of drivers Wed in road
accidents in Northern Ireland over (he past three years had traces of
illicit drugs in their blood.

The RAC Foundation discussed the problems of drugs and driving, and
potential campaigns, with policy advisers three years ago. It is good to
see the plans coming to fruition.

"It is now imperative that the motoring public in England and Wales is
subject to the same education and warnings of enforcement - particularity
when relaxing the law on possession of cannabis may lead to more people
driving after taking it."

Although it will remain a criminal offence to possess cannabis, which will
be reclassified as a class C drug next week, it will still carry a
theoretical maximum sentence of two years for possession.

But it would become a lower police priority and anyone caught anyone caught
would be given a caution, a warning or sent a court summons later rather
than being arrested.

In the view of the RAC Foundation, this might lead to an increase in the
number of people attempting to drive while under its influence as users
become more confident that they are a lower police priority - those in
possession for personal use would have litte to fear from the police.

The legal criterion on impairment to drive will, of course, remain
unaltered following the re-classification.

 

 

 

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