Drugs and Driving
Your Eyes Will Give You Away.
Major new campaign to crack down on drug driving
Some drivers who would never get behind the wheel after drinking still believe they can drive after taking drugs. The new campaign highlights that the police can and will detect drug drivers - and that anyone convicted will face the same tough penalties as a drink driver.
Reckless behaviour
One in five drivers killed in road accidents may have an impairing drug in their system. The police can spot the signs that someone is driving under the influence of drugs and, as the new campaign highlights, once a driver has been stopped their eyes will give them away because of the obvious and involuntary effects drugs have on the body.
Anyone convicted of driving while unfit through drugs will get a minimum 12 months driving ban, a criminal record and a large fine.
Lives in danger
Transport Secretary Andrew Adonis said: 'Government campaigns over the past 40 years have succeeded in making drink driving socially unacceptable and cutting the number of people killed in drink drive accidents by nearly three quarters.
'But some drivers who would never get behind the wheel after drinking still believe they can drive after taking drugs.
'We are determined to get the message through to this reckless minority that their behaviour is putting lives in danger.
'The penalties for drug driving are just the same as for drink driving because drug driving is just as dangerous.
'Drivers should be in no doubt that if you get behind the wheel while under the influence of drugs then the police can spot you, they can test you and you will face punishment.'
- THINK! has been promoting the 'Don't drug drive' message since 2003, based around summer music festivals and over the Christmas and New Year party season. The primary audience was young men aged between 17 and 29 who were most at risk of driving while on illegal drugs, with a secondary audience adults), 1227 drivers. The 1 in 10 figure is for male drivers aged 18-29.
- Penalties for drug driving are the same as for drink driving
- On conviction, a minimum 12 month disqualification and a maximum fine of £5,000
- As with drink-drivers, the record of disqualification remains on a licence for 11 years which can mean problems for those who drive for a living
- Convictions can mean difficulties in renting cars or getting visas for some countries.
For full details of the new campaign launched by the Department for Transport Think! - click Drug Driving
DRUG DRIVING - YOUR EYES WILL GIVE YOU AWAY -THINK!
