Workplaces are being warned to crack down drug- and drink-driving to keep their own drivers and other road users safe.
The annual police clampdown on driving over the limit is now underway in the UK for the festive season – and fleets are being warned that in some parts of the UK, over half of drink- or drug-drivers are caught while on their way to work or while driving for work purposes.
The Operation Limit campaign runs over the next four weeks and sees all 43 UK police forces join forces to tackle the escalating issue of drink- and drug-driving.
The initiative, which is led by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and the National Roads Policing Operations and Intelligence (NRPOII), sees officers carry out extra patrols with checkpoints at key locations for breathalyser testing.
Last year’s campaign led to over 56,000 roadside tests and 6,600 arrests. Alarmingly, nearly 50% of drug tests returned positive results, compared to just 9.5% of alcohol breath tests, revealing the growing scale of the drug-driving problem.
D.tec International has warned that fleets need to take action to address drug- and drink-driving as high levels of those driving for work are at risk.
Ean Lewin, managing director of the drug and alcohol testing business, said: “Workplaces have a duty to protect not only their employees but also the public, and implementing robust drug and alcohol testing programmes, providing education, and enforcing clear policies are critical steps businesses can take to ensure their staff are fit to drive. Some safety-conscious businesses are already taking these steps, but more widespread action is needed.”
Each year, on average, 1,899 people are killed or seriously injured as a result of drink- or drug-driving. This figure is based on STATS19 data from 2018 to 2022, with the total number for the five-year period being 9497 people killed or seriously injured due to someone driving under the influence of drink or drugs.
D.tec International’s Ean Lewin says drug-driving is fast becoming the bigger problem.
Lewin commented: “Last year’s Operation Limit campaign exposed a sobering truth: drug-driving is on the rise, and in some areas, it has overtaken drink-driving as the primary concern. This shift reflects a troubling societal trend – a normalisation of drug use that many drivers fail to recognise as dangerous or illegal when combined with getting behind the wheel.”
Earlier this year, chief constable Jo Shiner of the National Police Chiefs Council said there was a “social acceptance” of drug-driving, particularly among younger people.
Shiner had since warned that the increase in drug-driving is now her “biggest concern”. As reported by the BBC, Shiner recently said: “It worries me how many young people are using recreational drugs without realising how long they stay in their system and what the impact on their driving is.”
D.tec International Ean Lewin’s concurs with this: “Unlike drink-driving, which has rightly been stigmatised over decades, drug-driving remains misunderstood. Many drivers don’t appreciate how long substances can stay in their system or that police forces now have highly effective roadside testing capabilities. This ignorance is costing lives, and we must act decisively to address it.”
Many police forces have revealed that they regularly catch more drug-drivers than those over the alcohol limit. Although the Home Office said it was clamping down on the behaviour, the NPCC’s Jo Shiner has called for the police to be able to disqualify drink- and drug-drivers by the roadside.
D.tec International has also urged the UK to adopt a broader perspective.
Ean Lewin added: “There are valuable lessons to be learned from other countries where strong public education campaigns, more effective and faster prosecution systems, tougher penalties, and workplace programmes have helped to reduce impaired driving dramatically whilst the UK is seeing the opposite trend. The Government must look outward and adopt proven strategies to combat this growing threat effectively.”
And he’s called for increased investment in resources and a coordinated national strategy.
Lewin concluded: “If we are to tackle this issue effectively, the Government must also prioritise funding for specialist roads policing teams and advanced detection technologies such as DrugWipe. Additionally, workplaces must step up and take their responsibilities seriously, ensuring no one is driving under the influence as part of their daily duties. Together, these efforts can save lives and create safer roads for everyone.”
Scotland marks 10th anniversary of drink-drive law change
Drivers are calling for the drink-driving limit in England and Wales to be changed as evidence shows the benefits of a decade-long lower limit in Scotland.
This Thursday (5 December) marks the 10th anniversary of the drink-drive limit being lowered in Scotland – and four out of five Scots (79%) believe it has made roads safer.
A similar number (77%) think that England and Wales should follow the same example. The Scottish limit was lowered on 5 December 2014 to 50mg of alcohol per 100mL of blood. The previous limit of 80mg still applies in the rest of the UK.
According to a new poll of 1,000 Scots by breathalyser firm AlcoSense, 41% of motorists no longer drink alcohol when they know they will be driving later the same day or the following morning – with a further 29% saying they’ve reduced consumption since the limit change.
The most popular way to avoid breaking the stricter law is to arrange alternative transport home after a night’s drinking – 46% now either walk, take a taxi or rely on a designated alcohol-free driver.
Over a third (35%) mention they now drink at home more, so they don’t have to worry about driving.
Hunter Abbott, MD of AlcoSense Laboratories, said: “Based on these findings, the number of drivers on Scottish roads with alcohol in their system has significantly reduced.
“The risk of being in a fatal accident increases exponentially as blood alcohol levels rise – even if you are below the legal limit.”
Interestingly, four in 10 Scots (40%) claimed that the lowering of the drink-drive limit has resulted in them consuming less alcohol generally.
Three-quarters (75%) were in favour of the change when it was introduced and virtually all of them (97%) continue to support it based on their experience of the past 10 years.
“Whilst the number of drink-drive accidents has been declining steadily over the past two decades, this seems to have bottomed out and collisions are rising again,” added Hunter Abbott.
“Our survey provides a clue as to why this is happening, despite most Scots showing a far more responsible attitude towards drinking and driving.
“Four in 10 motorists (41%) admitted to consuming more alcohol whilst Scotland was in lockdown during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Worryingly, 15% say their drinking habits have remained at the same level since.
“So it seems that a stubborn hard core may account for the increase in accidents”.
Total drink-drive casualties in Scotland were up nearly 50% in 2022, with 310 people injured compared with 210 the previous year.
Research shows that with just 10mg of alcohol in your blood (one fifth of the Scottish limit) you are 37% more likely to be involved in a fatal crash.
Nearly a third of respondents in the AlcoSense poll (31%) considered the Scottish limit should remain as it is, but over a quarter (27%) thought it should be reduced to zero – as in countries such as Hungary, Russia and the Czech Republic.
A further 18% reckoned the limit should be lowered to 20mg of alcohol, which is the recommendation of the European Transport Safety Council and applies in Norway, Poland and Sweden.
