New steps to combat 'drug driving'

Gardaí are to receive new powers and training in the detection of drug driving as research shows drug driving in Ireland could be as serious a problem as drink driving.

Speaking at a conference on road safety in Dublin Castle this morning Prof Denis Cusack, head of the Medical Bureau of Road Safety said direction in "field impairment training" for officers would begin as early as January next year.

Additional powers to ask drivers to perform a series of simple roadside tests such as demonstrating body co-ordination were contained in the Road Traffic Act 2010, and are due to be signed into law in coming weeks.

However, the conference was told there was unlikely to be a simple mechanical device such as a breath tester to assist in roadside assessments, due to the range of drugs both legal and illegal which some drivers are using.

Prof Cusack also told the conference there was "work to do" in further legislation as much of the State's existing impaired driving laws were implemented in the 1990s when the focus was more on alcohol and not the range of drugs which are now prevalent.

He also said the medical bureau had provided more the 1,400 "certifications" that drivers were impaired due to drug use in 2009, but for some reason this had resulted in less than 900 convictions in the courts.

A further difficulty was that in one third of cases medical bureau personnel were required to be present in court but were actually called in less than 5 per cent of cases. There needed to be "some tightening up" of the processes involved, he said, and revealed the bureau, gardaí and road safety authorities are currently working of these issues.

Asst Garda Commissioner John Twomey said when someone is suspected of driving while under an intoxicant, they may be brought to a Garda station where in addition to the usual tests for alcohol, they could be subject to a medical assessment.

He said the difference in testing for drink and alcohol was that tests for alcohol were based on "specific limits". Tests for drug use, however, are based on observation of behaviour and ability to control a vehicle.

Asst Commissioner Twomey also revealed a significant drop in the number of convictions for drink driving, in addition to a significant increase in the number of breath tests. He said in 2009 one breath test for alcohol in every 200 proved positive. So far in 2010 the comparable figure was one positive test in every 400 tests.

Road Safety Authority chief executive Noel Brett said the problem of drug driving may be just as serious as drink driving. He said research commissioned by the authority showed as many as 22 per cent of 17- to 34-year-olds admitted they were a passenger in a car driven by someone under the influence of drugs.

The "Ask Chilli" online survey was conducted among 1,000 young people into the use of recreational drugs while driving. It revealed that 6 per cent of drivers have driven under the influence of drugs in the past.

According to Mr Brett, the research is "extremely worrying, particularly when we see the numbers of people who willingly travelled in a car being driven by someone under the influence of drugs".

Mr Brett added: "Driving under the influence of drugs is just as dangerous as driving when under the influence of alcohol. It's also against the law. Drugs can affect your mind and body in a variety of ways that mean you are not able to drive safely. Not only that, the effects can last for hours or even days. You wouldn't drive or get into a car with some who has been drinking alcohol so why would you drive or be driven by someone who has taken drugs?"