A package of
measures to tackle drink and drug driving was announced today by
Transport Secretary Philip Hammond.
Improved testing equipment to detect drink and drug drivers will
be given the green light and key changes made to streamline
enforcement of both offences.
The Government will also examine the case for a new specific drug
driving offence – alongside the existing one – which would remove
the need for the police to prove impairment on a case-by-case
basis where a specified drug has been detected.
The measures are set out in the Government’s response to the
North Report on Drink and Drug Driving, which was published last year.
The prescribed alcohol limit for driving will not be changed,
with the focus instead on improving enforcement and education to
tackle the drink and drug drivers who put lives at risk.
Philip Hammond said:
“Drink and drug driving are serious offences and we are
determined to ensure they are detected and punished effectively.
“It is just as dangerous to drive impaired by drugs as alcohol so
we need to send a clear message that drug drivers are as likely to
be caught as drink drivers and that drug driving is as socially
unacceptable as drink driving has become. That is why we will
approve drug-testing devices and change the law to speed up the
testing process, ensuring the police can bring drug drivers to justice.
“The number of drink driving deaths has fallen by more than 75%
since 1979. But drink driving still kills hundreds of people so we
need to take tough action against the small minority of drivers
who flagrantly ignore the limit. Their behaviour is entrenched and
after careful consideration we have concluded that improving
enforcement is likely to have more impact on these dangerous
people than lowering the limit.
“We are therefore taking forward a package of measures which will
streamline enforcement, helping the police to target these most
dangerous offenders and protect law-abiding road users.”
On drink driving the Government will:
revoke the right for people whose evidential breath test result
is less than 40% over the limit to opt for a blood test (the
‘statutory option’). The breath testing equipment used in police
stations is now very accurate and technically sophisticated so a
blood sample is not needed to confirm the breath test. The need to
organise a blood sample can mean that drivers who were over the
limit when breath tested have fallen below the limit by the time
their blood sample is taken – removing the statutory option will
eliminate this loophole.
introduce a more robust drink drive rehabilitation scheme, so
that we can require those drink drivers who are substantially in
excess of the limit to take remedial training and a linked driving
assessment before recovering their licence.
approve portable evidential breath testing equipment for the
police – this will speed up the testing process and free up police
time.
close a loophole used by high risk offenders to delay their
medical examinations.
streamline the procedure for testing drink drivers in hospital.
On drug driving the Government will:
approve preliminary drug-testing equipment - initially for use
in police stations, and at the roadside as soon as possible. The
Home Office is currently testing six drug-testing devices and
hopes to be able to take decisions on type-approval by the end of
June.
allow custody nurses to advise the police whether or not a
suspected driver has a condition that may be due to a drug. This
will remove the need to call out police doctors and so speed up
the testing process – ensuring that drug drivers do not escape
punishment because a doctor is not available and also freeing up
police time.
examine the case for a new specific drug driving offence –
alongside the existing one – which would remove the need for the
police to prove impairment on a case-by-case basis where a
specified drug has been detected.
The full response to the North Report, which also includes the
Department’s response to the Transport Select Committee’s report
on the same subject, has been published today here: http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/drivinglaws/.
Notes to Editors
1. Drink Driving - the figures Deaths from drink driving have
fallen 77% since 1979: 1979 – 1,640 2009 – 380 (provisional
figure) Latest coroners’ data (2008) shows that of drivers and
riders killed in road accidents: around a fifth (18%) were over
the drink drive limit.12% - two-thirds of all those who were over
the limit - had more than twice the legal amount of blood alcohol
in their body. 7% of those killed – 40% of those who were over the
limit – were at least 2.5 times over the limit.82% were below the
prescribed limit (80mg per 100ml of blood).2% were between 51 and
80mg/100ml. 81,000 people were convicted in England and Wales in
2008. 2. Drug Driving - the figures We do not have the level of
information available about drug drivers that we have for drink
drivers as they cannot be so easily tested. Sir Peter North quotes
figures which show a six-fold increase in the incidence of illicit
drugs in samples taken from victims of fatal road accidents
between 1989 and 2000. In 2009 impairment by drugs (illicit and
medicinal) was recorded as a factor in 46 fatal accidents (2% of
total) and 169 serious accidents (1% of total). However, we
believe that this is under-reported because of the difficulty of
testing drug drivers and so believe that the real figure is likely
to be higher. 3. Drink and Drug Driving - the law - It is an
offence to drive when over the drink drive limit. The breath
alcohol limit is 35 microgrammes per 100 millitres of breath and
the blood alcohol limit is 80 milligrammes per 100 millilitres of
blood. - It is illegal to drive while unfit through drugs. - The
penalties are the same for drink driving and drug driving: · On
conviction, a minimum 12 month disqualification and a maximum fine
of £5,000. · The record of disqualification remains on a licence
for 11 years which can mean problems for those who drive for a
living. · Such convictions can mean difficulties in renting cars
or getting visas for some countries. 4. The North Review into
drink and drug driving A link to Sir Peter North's report
on drink and drug driving law can be found here:
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100921035225/http:/northreview.independent.gov.uk/
A link to the Transport Select Committees report into Sir
Peter's review can be found here:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmselect/cmtran/460/460.pdf
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