Insurance news
01/02/2012
Charity pleads for updated drug-driving rules
New statistics from road safety charity Brake showing that more than 10% of young drivers have driven under the influence of drugs have recently been reported, leading to them to make calls for stronger laws to be put in place to curb this behaviour.
The release of this data coincides with news that drug-driving laws could soon be strengthened depending on the results of research findings from the Department for Transport. A panel of experts will determine whether police testing for drugs on the roadside is viable. At the moment police rely on roadside co-ordination tests which can lead to a police station blood test.
Driving under the influence of drugs, illegal or prescribed, can cost the driver more than the loss of cheap car insurance – it is also a criminal offence. This means that for the five years following a conviction for the offence it will need to be stated on any car insurance quote form.
In Australia police already have devices which let them test for commonly used drugs at the roadside. Using a driver's saliva results appear within minutes.
Many British MPs say that UK police should have similar devices, as often any substance taken could have vanished by the time the perpetrator is taken to the station.
A spokesperson for a car insurance site said, "Drug driving is an incredibly dangerous thing to do and anything that puts people off considering driving a vehicle under the influence of narcotics can only be a good thing."
Drivers who are unsure about whether they can drive safety after taking a prescribed drug should check with their doctor first.