Police forces are a step closer to having equipment to test motorists suspected of drug driving, James Brokenshire, crime prevention minister, announced last week.
Road Safety GB has welcomed the news that The Home Office has produced the specification for a new police station-based drug screening device. The document sets out what the device will do and the standards it must meet. Manufacturers will now submit devices to the Home Office for testing.
Once a screening device is approved, officers will be able to use it to test if a person has specific levels of a drug in their system and then take a blood sample if the device gives a positive reading. The Home Office says this will enable suspects to be dealt with more quickly.
Alan Kennedy, chair of Road Safety GB, said: "Road Safety GB welcomes this important step towards deterring and detecting drug drivers.
"Driving while under the influence of drugs is every bit as dangerous as driving while over the alcohol limit. The sooner this equipment is in use, the better."
Evidence to support a prosecution for drug driving can only come from a blood specimen. A positive test on an approved drug screener means a blood specimen can be taken straight away without a medical practitioner’s involvement.
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