Transcript Slide 1

Detecting drug drivers
Duncan Price
Branch Head
Department for Transport
RSGB Conference 2011
Detecting Drug Drivers
By: Duncan Price
Road User Licensing, Insurance and Safety
Department for Transport
North Review of Drink and Drug
Driving Law (June 2010) - Drugs
•
Improving the Evidence
•
Improving Procedure
•
The ‘Road Map’
1. improve the current process
2. preliminary drug screening tests
3. a specific offence
4. roadside screening
5. evidential drug testing
The Evidence
Key GB Statistics
Impairment by drugs (illicit or medicinal) was
reported contributory factor in 2010 in:
• 1,094 casualties, down by 16% from 2009
• 51 drivers and pedestrians killed, down by
20 % from 2009
•So 1 in 200 of injuries, 1 in 20 deaths?
•TRL Work 1996-2000 indicated rates in
fatalities of 18% (illicit drugs) & 24% (all)
Evidence (European – DRUID)
DRUID (DRiving Under the Influence of Drugs, alcohol & medicines)
• Five Year Cross-European research programme
Alcohol vs Other Drugs
• The prevalence of alcohol in traffic is higher (3.48%)
than for illicit drugs (1.90%) or medicinal drugs (1.36%)
• Consumption of alcohol (> 0.5 ‰) alone or in
combination with other drugs causes the highest
accident risk compared to other psychoactive
substances.
Government Response to North
(Drugs)
Implementation Priority
(March 2011)
Current Progress
Better information about
prevalence of drink and drug
driving and its implications in
casualty accidents
Tender under way for data
collection from coroners and
procurators
Delegate to custody nurses the
assessment police doctors make
of suspected drug drivers
Seeking legislative opportunity to
change Road Traffic Act 1988
Approve preliminary drug testing
Police station devices in type
equipment initially for use in police approval
stations – and then at the roadside
‘Road Map’ 1: Improve the Current
Process
• Legislative Changes (Drugs and Drink)
– Custody Nurse Assessment of Drug Driving
Suspects
– Hospital Testing Procedures (Drink and Drugs)
– Allow New Testing Technology
• Portable evidential breath testing for drink
• Possibly Multiple samples for drugs
– Withdrawal of Statutory Option (Drink)
‘Road Map’ 2: Preliminary Drug
Screening Tests
‘Road Map’ 3: A Specific Offence
• To proceed there must be research / consensus on which common
controlled drugs are impairing at which levels
Cannabis
• The second prevalent substance in traffic (after alcohol)
• Across several experimental studies THC-blood concentration of
• 2ng/ml causes the same performance impairments as BAC 0.5‰
• With 3-5ng/ml THC in blood the risk for being responsible for an
accident is equal to 0.1-0.5‰ BAC
Cocaine
• On-road driving tests, simulator studies and tests of driving related
skills showed no impairing effect at low dosage.
• Impairment is caused by concomitant alcohol consumption or sleep
deprivation (not by stimulants alone).
‘Road Map’ 3: A Specific Offence
• European research about impairing levels of
drugs (equivalent to drink drive impairment)
• Wide ranges of levels and some caution (eg
Netherlands)
• Some plans for a specific offence (eg Norway)
• Including schedules of drugs and levels
‘Road Map’: 4 and 5
• 4: Roadside screening devices
– establish value without specific offence
– builds momentum towards the specific offence
• 5: Evidential testing
– roadside screening /evidential at police station
• “Le mieux est l'ennemi du bien ” Voltaire (1772)
Publicity
• Developing future marketing
plans
Local Action
• Intelligence-led enforcement
• Wider criminality and public health issues
Road Safety Framework:
Education and training
Measure
Description
Action (e.g. legislation, type
approval)
Expected
Start Date
Increased
educational
offerings to
offenders
We will increase the educational
courses that can be offered in the
place of fixed penalty notices to
teach safer driving behaviour.
We will develop courses by
working with the police and the
Driving Standards Agency
Ongoing
Increased
educational
offerings to
offenders
We will develop courses that
courts can offer in the place of
losing a licence
We will develop a course
2013
Increased
educational
offerings to
offenders
This will require offenders to take
a course and assessment to
regain a licence after a serious
disqualification (expected to be
12 months or more)
We will develop a suitable
course and an assessment
2013
A new post test
qualification
This will replace Pass Plus and
will provide candidates with an
improved way to develop their
driving skills after passing their
driving test.
We will work with the Driving
Standards Agency and the
insurance industry to develop a
course that improves the skills
of inexperienced drivers.
2014
Road Safety Framework:
Planned Legal Changes
Measure
Description
Action (e.g. legislation, type
approval)
Expected
Start Date
Introduce a fixed
penalty offence
for careless
driving
This will allow the police to tackle
offences that are currently
unenforced more efficiently.
Parallel measure to increase
penalty fines from £60 to £80-£100
Statutory instrument. Impact
assessment and internal
Government clearance in
progress.
2012
Withdrawal of
statutory option
for drink drivers
This will remove the right of drivers
who fail an evidential breath test by
40% or less to request a blood or
urine test.
Legislation to amend the Road
Traffic Act.
2013
New drug offence
This would create an offence of
driving with a specified drug in the
body. More work needed before
decision whether to proceed.
This would require new
primary legislation
2015 – if it
proceeds
New dangerous
driving offence
(not in road safety
framework)
This will create an offence of
causing serious injury by
dangerous driving, with higher
maximum penalties
Government (MoJ-led)
amendment to the Legal Aid
Sentencing and Punishment
of Offenders Bill.
2012
Speed Limits
Plans to consult about:
• Motorway speed limits
• Changing the 40 mph rural road limit for lorries
• Revision of the speed limit circular (to increase
local flexibility, focus on urban areas)
• Cost/benefit assessment tool for local speed
limits for use by local authorities
• Exemptions from speed limits for emergency
services
Any Questions?
Thank you