Legal News

The Road Safety Minister Andrew Jones MP has welcomed new figures which show that arrests for drug driving have increased by 800% after a new roadside test was introduced on 2 March 2015.

To mark the first anniversary of the new roadside swab test, the government is launching a new THINK! road safety campaign targeted at young males – who are most likely to drug drive.

The campaign has been launched to make it clear to potential offenders that if they drug drive, they are more likely to be caught and convicted as a result of the roadside swab test.

Provisional figures show that, in Cheshire alone in 2015, officers arrested eight times more suspected drug drivers than in 2014, with more than 530 arrests from March 2015 to January 2016 – an increase from 70 drug driving arrests in the whole of the previous year 2014-2015.

During the Christmas 2015 drink and drug drive campaign, a total of 1,888 drug screening tests were carried out in just one month across England and Wales – and nearly 50% were positive, demonstrating how well the police have targeted potential offenders, says the government.

Police forces have been given an additional £1 million to train officers, purchase drug screening equipment and pay for samples to be analysed.

Road Safety Minister Andrew Jones said:

“Thanks to our tougher law, police are catching and convicting more dangerous drivers.

“The government will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with police as they work tirelessly to protect the public, while recognising enforcement alone is not the answer.

“We need to educate and influence behaviour change – which is why we are pushing on with our THINK! campaign, which has helped change attitudes towards drink-driving and ultimately save lives.

Cheshire Chief Constable Simon Byrne added:

“Cheshire Police’s figures speak for themselves – we have taken a no nonsense approach to using this new legislation, as part of our wider work to target criminals who use our road networks.

“Under the new drug-driving laws, once suspects are charged, 98% have been convicted – compared to 80% for the old offence.”


The drug drive law changes in England and Wales have made it illegal to drive with 17 controlled drugs above a specified limit in the blood.

Motorists who get behind the wheel after taking illegal drugs face a criminal record, loss of their licence for at least a year – and an unlimited fine.

It remains an offence to drive while impaired by any drug at any amount.

Drugs which can be tested for at the roadside include cannabis and cocaine, while the evidential laboratory test can identify all the drugs covered by the law – including Ecstasy, LSD, ketamine and heroin.

Duncan Lewis Motoring Solicitors

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