Fears as drug-driving rate soars

Jan 16 2007 By Mark Cowan, Birmingham Mail

THE number of motorists caught behind the wheel while high on drugs rocketed over the Christmas period, new figures out today reveal.

A total of 58 people stopped in roadside checks across the West Midlands were found to be impaired through the likes of cannabis, heroin and cocaine. That was a huge increase on last year when only two drivers were found.

Meanwhile, the figures for the police Christmas drink-drive campaign showed the number of positive breath-tests fell compared with the year before.

The issue of drug-driving is causing growing concern amongst senior officers in the force because it is just as dangerous as drink driving. A campaign to target such drivers could be launched later this year.

More than 20,000 motorists were stopped during the month-long initiative in December.

A total of 3,801 were breath-tested by police, with 520, or 13 per cent, discovered to be over the limit.

Last year fewer drivers were tested but more than 16 per cent of them were positive.

During the Christmas period there was an rise in the number of car crashes that resulted in injuries, but the percentage of positive breath-tests fell significantly from 21 per cent in 2005 to 13 per cent in 2006.

Chief Insp Steven Palmer, head of the force's Traffic Unit, said: "This year's results are very positive and show overall that, even though more people were tested than last year, fewer drivers provided positive test results.

"The drink drive message appears to be getting through."