Drug-Driving Offences Have Risen By A Fifth In England And Wales
Drug-Driving offences have risen by a fifth in England and Wales, according to the latest government figures. It’s raised concerns that motorists simply aren’t aware of the risks…
Drug-Driving, A Mounting Problem?
The number of drug-driving offences in England and Wales has risen by a fifth; according to new figures released by the government. In 2019, 11,614 motorists were found guilty of drug-driving. That’s an increase of 19.89% when compared to the 9,687 successful prosecutions in 2018. Police in Essex actually reported a record number of drug-driving arrests back in April. They managed to catch 266 suspects. For perspective, the previous record for the force was 184. To make matters worse, drink-driving offences also appear to be on the rise. Data released by the Ministry of Justice showed that there’s been a 3.21% increase in successful prosecutions; rising from 33,634 in 2018 to 34,713 in 2019.
Damningly, incidents of dangerous driving are also on an upwards trajectory. These rose by 4.27%, rising from from 3,634 offences in 2018 to 3,789 in 2019. As is the number of drivers convicted for causing a death by dangerous driving; prosecutions rose by 10.83% from 157 to 174.
Unaware Of The Consequences
Naturally the increase in drug-driving, amongst other offences, has caused concerns for the automotive industry. Edmund King, president of the AA, has speculated that some drivers simply aren’t aware of the risks. He said, “police forces are rightly testing drivers where they see that driving ability is impaired, and some have seen a record number of arrests recently. But we need to get to the root cause of the problem and stop this before it becomes endemic”. He added, “while more than a third of people admit they take recreational drugs like cannabis on a regular basis, they could be unaware of the consequences drug driving can have. More action is needed to improve driver education and to stop the supply of illegal drugs”.
Whilst we know drug-related driving offences are on the rise, the general picture is one of increased risk taking. Why offences are on the rise isn’t clear. Some might argue it’s a question of enforcement, policing methods or driver education. Either way, practically every form of dangerous driving is on the rise. As a consequence, our roads are set to become much more hazardous.
Can Hay Fever Tablets Really Land You With A Driving Ban? – https://autoserveclub.co.uk/blog/can-hay-fever-tablets-really-land-you-with-a-driving-ban/
Rest Of UK Should Reduce Its Drink-Driving Limit, Says Scotland – https://autoserve.co.uk/motoring-news/rest-of-uk-should-reduce-its-drink-driving-limit-says-scotland/
