A new drug driving law is coming into effect as from next month—March 2015—in England and Wales. The new measures establish a strict policy, not only on illegal drugs but also on prescription medicines which had previously not been considered.
According to the new drug drive legislation, if traces of illegal drugs are found in a driver’s blood it will be illegal to drive, even if the quantity does not impair the driving.
The same will happen for some legal drugs (prescription medicines), such as:
• clonazepam
• diazepam
• flunitrazepam
• lorazepam
• methadone
• morphine or opiate and opioid-based drugs
• oxazepam
• temazepam
• diazepam
• flunitrazepam
• lorazepam
• methadone
• morphine or opiate and opioid-based drugs
• oxazepam
• temazepam
If any of these drugs have been prescribed to you and they do not impair your ability to drive, you are within your rights to drive, but you could be prosecuted if any of these substances are found in your blood and you have not been prescribed them, or they actually affect your driving.
The law does not cover Northern Ireland and Scotland but you still could be arrested if found unfit to drive. In the Republic of Ireland, a Roadside Impairment Testing (RIT) is already in force. The Irish national police force—An Garda Síochána—has the power to test drivers whom they suspect might be driving under the influence of drugs (DUID).Anyone suspected of driving under the influence can be required to undergo five straightforward impairment tests: Pupil Dilation Test, Modified Romberg Balance Test, Walk and Turn Test, One Leg Stand, and, lastly, a Finger to Nose Test.
If you are taking medicines and are not sure about the effect they might have on your driving, ask your doctor.
According to the new law, if you are convicted of drug driving you might get a minimum one year driving ban, a fine of up to £5,000 (around €6,700), up to a year in prison and a criminal record. Your driving licence will show you have been convicted for drug driving for eleven years. In the event of a person causing death while driving under the influence of drugs, he or she might face a prison sentence of up to fourteen years.
If you are convicted for drug driving there might also be other serious consequences: a criminal record, increased car insurance premiums, problems if you want to find work that involves driving (or complications if you already do drive during the course of your work), and you might have difficulties travelling to countries like the USA.
The UK’s Department of Transport has already started a THINK! campaign to promote awareness of the new drug driving legislation.
