“Drug driving” risk policies may be needed by fleets

"Drug driving" policies may need to be adopted by more fleets as the Government sets up a new expert panel to tackle the problem in light of growing evidence of its impact on road safety.

Tweet

Ministers this month have asked a panel of experts including academics and scientists to look at whether drug driving measures that parallel drink driving laws could be introduced, including legal limits and roadside testing.

And fleet software company CFC points out that Department for Transport figures show that drug driving was cited by police as a "contributory factor" in 1,094 road traffic accidents in 2010, including 51 fatalities.

Neville Briggs, managing director at CFC, said: "The evidence about drug driving that has emerged during recent years is worrying. For example, one recent survey showed that 10% of 17-24 year olds had driven after taking an illegal drug.*

"Of course, it is not just illegal drugs that may seriously impair your ability on the road. Anyone taking medication from a pharmacist or doctor that could affect factors such as their reaction times is also a potential risk management issue."

Briggs said that the new Government moves were welcome as they brought about the possibility of a more formal approach to the whole subject of drug driving.

He explained: "Drink driving is relatively easy to enforce as a an area of risk management because there is a legal alcohol limit and a straight driving ban if you are caught. If similar laws can be introduced that cover drug driving, it would remove much of the cloudiness and elasticity that currently surrounds the issue.

"However, even without hard and fast rules, fleets that have not already done so should think about adding drug driving to their risk management policies.

"It should be made clear to employees that recreational drug use and business driving will be treated in a zero tolerance manner, and also that any doubts surrounding prescribed or over the counter medication should be raised so that further advice can be sought. Drivers need to take the subject seriously."