Drivers who test positive for banned drugs hit new high

THE number of drug-drivers caught behind the wheel on Britain’s roads has reached a record level, new figures have revealed.

An average of 37 motorists a day failed tests for banned substances during a month-long nationwide police campaign, according to the Daily Mail.

The newspaper reported that police stopped fewer drivers during the campaign compared with last year, but more motorists tested positive for drugs, such as cannabis and cocaine.

According to the newspaper, police officers stopped a total of 1,962 motorists who were seen driving erratically or were involved in accidents, during an operation carried out by 38 forces.

Of the drivers stopped, 1,108, which equates to 57 per cent, or an average of 37 a day, tested positive for banned substances.

Last year, 1,084 motorists failed drugs tests out of a total of 2,022 drivers stopped, which equals 53 per cent. The proportion was only 40 per cent in 2016, it was reported.

Simon Williams, an RAC spokesman, told the Daily Mail: “These figures are shocking, especially the rise in drugdrivers involved in collisions.

“Motorists tell us that they want to see more police on the roads, because, other than tackling speed through cameras, there are lots of offences that seem to go unchallenged because there are less traffic police.”

A spokesman for road safety charity Brake said the figures “must act as a wake-up call”.