Martin Ellis, policy lead on drug driving at the DfT, will update delegates at National Conference on the new drug driving laws which were introduced earlier this year.
The 2015 National Road Safety Conference will be held at the East Midlands Conference Centre in Nottingham on 18-19 November. The event is being hosted by Road Safety GB East Midlands region and is co-sponsored by Colas, AA DriveTech, Vysionics and Pepsico. More than 200 people have already registered to attend and 22 companies will exhibit alongside the conference.
After representing central Government at the Olympic Delivery Authority to ensure transport ran smoothly during London 2012, Martin Ellis returned to the DfT to address another big issue facing the Government – to improve enforcement against the menace of drug drivers.
Martin led the policy on taking through the primary legislation that sets out the framework of the new offence, conducted the public consultations on the drugs and the limits over which it is an offence to drive, and supported ministers in taking through Parliament the secondary legislation that specified the drugs and their limits.
The new offence came into force on 2 March 2015 and required careful negotiation through the various and differing interests of the medical profession, patient support groups, pharmaceutical companies, victims’ families, police, Crown Prosecution Service and forensic toxicologists.
Martin has also been advising the World Health Organisation on a policy brief on drug use and road safety that will encourage more countries to enforce against drug drivers.
Martin’s presentation at National Conference will provide an overview of how the new laws were introduced and the challenges faced; how successful they have been since coming into force; and how they might evolve in the future.
Thsi presentation will form part of a conference session looking at fitness to drive which will also include presentations on visual impairment, older drivers, and other health-related issues which have implications for drivers.
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