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When it comes to road rules, what we want to see is fairness and consistency; unfortunately an area where this isn't currently the case is driving under the influence of drugs.
While drink driving is strictly enforced, when it comes to drugs, the law currently relies on subjective police tests, which result in very few prosecutions.
While the courts can take into account the amount of alcohol consumed when deciding a sentence, it is difficult to do the same for drugs, as it is harder to calculate the amount of a drug taken and the resulting level of impairment caused.
However, this may not be the case for too much longer as the Department for Transport is looking to set drug equivalents to the blood alcohol level for drink driving which would make prosecuting offenders more clear cut and ensure punishment where appropriate.
It seems perfectly sensible that the rules which apply to drink driving also apply to drugs (and I'm surpirsed that it's taking so long to get to this position). We even know that some fleets are taking matters into their own hands by building random drug-testing into their policy.
In this vein, we can also expect to see the rapid introduction of drug testing equipment, initially at police stations before being distributed to patrol cars for roadside checks, which should provide a suitable deterrant to offending drivers.
So good news, although something that could expose a number of unsuspecting motorists that don't realise they could be breaking the law by taking prescription drugs.
Motorists who get behind the wheel while impaired by prescribed drugs will face prosecution as well as those who take so-called "legal high" drugs and possibly over the counter remedies. Proclaiming ignorance will be no defense particularly if the instructions supplied say "don't drive".
So for all drivers this is something to be very aware of, and reinforces the importance of considering your condition before you drive. Drink and illegal drugs are a given, but we should all consider things like prescription drugs and tiredness before getting behind the wheel.
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