Drug-drivers 'menace on roads' (From Witney Gazette)

Drug-drivers 'menace on roads'

DRIVERS who have taken drugs have been described by police as a 'time-bomb' on Oxfordshire's roads.

Officers in Oxfordshire are calling for a change in the law to keep more drug-drivers off the roads - but admit they have no idea how many are out there, because of inadequate information.

More than 70 traffic police in the area are now trained to spot a driver who is unfit to be behind the wheel because of drugs.

Police have launched a high-profile month-long campaign targeting drink-drivers and motorists high on recreational or prescribed drugs.

However, Thames Valley Police does not store records for arrests and charges of drivers caught unfit to drive through drugs.

Sgt Nigel Welham, drug driving coordinator, said: "Most people don't think there's much chance of getting caught. But we have got the officers now and people will end up getting a 12-month ban if they are caught.

"We are now in a stronger position than ever. It is not safe to drive with drugs in the system. More so if you mix drugs with alcohol and sleep deprivation.

"It is an absolute time-bomb. It has the potential to become an enormous problem."

Road checks will be held across the county every afternoon and after pub closing hours throughout the next month.

Police also check every driver or passenger involved in crashes to see if they have been drinking or are unfit to drive through drugs.

Officers can arrest a driver if they suspect they are on drugs, but there is no roadside testing equipment similar to the drink driving breathalyser.

Instead officers are trained to spot the signs of a drug user and can ask them to take physical tests on the roadside.

If they are then believed to be unfit through drugs, they are taken to a police station where a doctor makes an assessment - samples of blood and urine can then be sent for testing.

Sgt Welham added: "We are arresting more drug drivers than we used to.

"Drink-driving is relatively easy to deal with - if they are above the legal limit then they are guilty. But testing people on drugs is not an exact science.

"I'd like to see a change in the law. If you are found with drugs in the body then that should be an offence. It would send a real message to those taking recreational drugs."

Sgt Welham said some drivers were unwittingly unfit to drive through prescription medication.

He said drivers on drugs such as ecstasy may drive faster, while other drugs, including cannabis, slowed reactions.