Cree highlights prevalence of drug-driving / Cree seeks readily retrievable drug-driving figures

Ulster Unionist MLA for North Down and Northern Ireland Policing Board member Leslie Cree has highlighted the prevalence of drug-driving in Northern Ireland. In 2008 there were 28 deaths and 121 people seriously injured as a result of drink or drug related driving. This accounted for around 17% of all road deaths and over 12% of serious injuries. Recent research has also illustrated that there has been a five-fold increase in people being driven by someone who had taken drugs.

Mr. Cree said, "I am once again shocked by the extent of irresponsibility and saddened by its devastating consequences. 28 deaths were attributed to drug or drink driving last year and 121 serious injuries. Sadly, those 28 deaths were preventable. Drug-driving must become as socially unacceptable as drink-driving.

"Young men aged between 25 and 35 are most likely to drive under the influence of illegal drugs. Other research has revealed that one in ten young male drivers admit to driving after taking illegal drugs. We must specifically target this age group.

"The DoE recently put out a consultation on whether the laws relating to drink-driving should change in Northern Ireland. In my mind, it is also timely to examine drug-driving in more detail and to put more time into enforcing drug-driving. At present, the police do not have a similar test for drugs akin to the alcohol breathalyser. Instead, police officers ask suspected drug-drivers to perform the Field Impairment Test.

"Considering the number of deaths I would have thought that drug-driving figures would have been more readily available rather than a combined drink- and drug-driving figure. Surely, successful drug-driving reduction and intervention schemes rely upon a full understanding of the extent of the problem so that the police can have better approaches to drug-driving enforcement.

"Illegal drugs have a detrimental impact on driving ability – such as slower reaction time, fatigue and overconfidence. Cannabis, for example, distorts perception of time and distance while cocaine makes drivers more aggressive. A mix of alcohol and drug-taking may make driving even more lethal. However, it is also important to increase public awareness that a driver’s ability may be similarly impaired by prescription drugs or those bought over the counter. Both prescription and illegal drugs can affect driving ability – what is clear is that driving under the influence of drugs can and does kill."