A new report released today, The Rise in Drug Driving - Tackling the cause by Keith Prince AM calls for the Met to expand Field Impairment Training and run drug-drive tests more routinely, amid a rise in the proportion of driving offences attributed to drugs rather than alcohol.
Figures released on 22 May by the National Police Chiefs’ Council found drug driving has become more prevalent than drink driving for the first time, with 80 motorists caught every day, and too many escaping prosecution (Daily Mail).
The report calls for the Mayor of London to improve monitoring drug and drink drive offences, with the aim of reducing deaths and injuries on the road as part of the Vision Zero Action Plan.
Drug driving tests should be as routine as breathalyser tests, according to a new report released today from Conservative London Assembly Member Keith Prince AM.
The report, The Rise of Drug Driving - Tackling the Cause, sets out an action plan for the Mayor of London and Met Police to improve detection and policing of drug driving offences.
It comes as figures released on 22 May by the National Police Chiefs’ Council found drug driving has become more prevalent than drink driving for the first time, with 80 motorists caught every day, and too many escaping prosecution (Daily Mail).
The report recommends:
The Mayor of London should update his Police and Crime Plan to demonstrate how he and the Metropolitan Police Service are tackling drink and drug driving and show what targets they are using.
The Mayor of London should include specific targets to reduce drug driving in his future Vision Zero Action Plans and progress reports.
The Metropolitan Police Service should record drug and drink drive offences by location of offence rather than custody suite to get a better idea of where they are occurring.
The Mayor of London should separately monitor drink and drug driving offences as part of his future Vision Zero Action Plans and progress reports.
The Mayor of London should address how he will specifically target and tackle first time offenders for drug driving as part of his future Vision Zero Action Plans and progress reports.
The Mayor of London should work with charities and London boroughs, through the Metropolitan Police Service and Transport for London to run an awareness campaign to increase reporting of drug driving offences across London.
The Metropolitan Police Service should include Field Impairment Training as part of the Recruit Foundation Training.
Officers should consider issuing drug-drive tests when a drink drive test is under the limit, when they have reason to suspect drugs may be being used.
Keith Prince AM said: “Drug driving kills people and ruins lives. It is very alarming to see drugs playing a greater role in car crashes than alcohol, and we must take action now to stop this appalling crime.
“My report today sets out an action plan for the Mayor and the Met Police to get a grip of this issue, which has not been given the attention it deserves. I am calling for a significant expansion of drug-driving tests, so they are as routine as breathalysers, and for more training and equipment to be provided to frontline officers to facilitate this.
“We also need to track this issue more closely with better data and carry out more awareness campaign work targeting drug driving specifically. We must tackle this issue now before more people lose their lives, and I urge Sadiq Khan to accept these recommendations.”
Media Requests: please contact the Press Team.