Half of drivers stopped on suspicion of drug-driving fail roadside drug tests

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request was sent to all 45 police forces across the UK, with 31 forces providing responses.

The data gathered by IAM RoadSmart revealed that 51% of drivers tested positive during roadside checks in 2023, and 49% tested positive in the first seven months of 2024.

These figures are based on failure rates from 17 of the 31 responding police forces.

Additionally, Department for Transport (DfT) statistics show a more than 70% rise in the number of deceased drivers found with 'impairment drugs' in their system between 2014 and 2022.

The peak periods for detecting offenders are during festive seasons, such as summer festivals and Christmas.

This aligns with Operation Limit, a national initiative aimed at reducing drink and drug driving during holidays.

In December 2023 and January 2024, Police Scotland recorded the highest number of failed tests, with 526 offenders, followed by Greater Manchester Police (397) and Surrey Police (368).

While officers can stop vehicles at their discretion, they must have a reasonable suspicion that a driver is under the influence of drugs before requesting a drug test.

Introduced in 2015, roadside swab tests detect cannabis and cocaine on the spot. However, some forces only began recording data in 2023, meaning the actual number of drug-positive drivers could be much higher.

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It is illegal to drive if you are unfit due to legal or illegal drugs.  

A drug driving conviction can result in at least a one-year driving ban, an unlimited fine, up to six months in prison, and a criminal record. The conviction will remain on the driver’s licence for 11 years.

Additionally, those convicted are likely to face a significant rise in their insurance premiums.

RAC road safety spokesperson Rod Dennis said: “Drug-driving is a growing problem in the UK. In 2023, there were 134 fatalities on the UK’s roads where a drug driver or rider played a role, which is the highest figure recorded and up by 37 compared to 2022.

"Police forces increasingly use roadside testing kits to catch drivers, but of course it would be safer for everyone if these people simply didn’t get behind the wheel in the first place. We hope this area is addressed in the Government’s forthcoming road safety strategy.”