The AA is warning drivers to steer away from trouble this Christmas as police forces across the country crack down on both drink and drug driving.
A nationwide police enforcement operation launched yesterday (Wednesday 18 December) and runs until Wednesday 1 January, targeting drink and drug drivers.
Last year, more than 72,000 breath tests were taken during the month of December, of which over 5,500 motorists tested positive, or failed/refused to provide a sample.
Edmund King, AA president, said: “Traditionally our Christmas message to drivers has always been: if you are going to drive, don’t drink and if you are going to drink, don’t drive. But now we are updating that to include drugs. We don’t want drivers to be in any doubt – drink, drugs and driving do not mix.
“The police now have effective ways to test drivers for the presence of drugs at the roadside and the figures show they are catching more people. They use drug wipes known as ‘drugalysers’ to check for cannabis and cocaine. The testing kit uses a mouth swab to check for the presence of drugs and a blue line appears after eight minutes if the person has taken them.
“We expect drug driving to move up the road safety priority list as police utilise more effective ways to catch those breaking the law, the true extent of the problem will be revealed. When it comes to drink or drugs when driving the best advice is none for the road.”
