Drug Driving Test Equipment To Be Trialled

[+EdwardGlen]

STRICTLY FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY

 

I make a legitimate attempt to post what I believe will benefit our community and help us in the long run. whether its a story such as this or something about politics if it involves MM and I think people would be educated from it I will post it.

EG Saturday August 7th 4:30pm

 

It was just a matter of time but I would rather have indisputable proof of my innocence rather that some LEO saying I think you're driving under the influence of drugs but no reliable test is available to prove it or disprove it so I have to arrest you.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-10887858

 

The government is planning trials of equipment which would test drivers under the influence of drugs.

 

The move could lead to a roll-out of the technology across police forces within two years.

 

Manufacturers are to be given specifications for the devices by the end of September.

 

It follows publication of a review into the problem of drug driving, which concluded that major changes were needed.

Related stories

 

* Call to reduce drink-drive limit

* Drug-driving campaign is launched

 

The review by Sir Peter North, which was published in June, concluded that the drug driving problem was "out of all proportion" to the official figures.

 

That is partly because of the difficulty in testing for drugs, which means many cases go unrecorded.

 

At the moment police first need a doctor to decide whether the suspect has a "condition which might be due to a drug," and then for a blood test to be carried out.

 

Getting a doctor to the police station and the examination itself both take time - and could mean the drugs have left the suspect's system before the blood sample is taken.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

 

It is vital that the police have the tools they need to tackle those who drive while impaired by drugs”

 

End Quote Mike Penning Road Safety Minister

 

There is another reason for thinking the current figures relating to drug driving - 56 fatal accidents and 207 serious injury accidents in 2008 - are too low. If a suspect has been breathalysed and found to be over the drink drive limit, police will rarely continue with further tests to decide if drugs are present too.

 

The government now says it will give manufacturers specifications for new testing equipment by the end of September. The resultant products are set to be trialled in police stations within a year and then rolled out to forces within two years.

 

Road Safety Minister, Mike Penning said: "It is vital that the police have the tools they need to tackle those who drive while impaired by drugs.

 

"This selfish minority show a flagrant disregard, not only for their own lives, but for the safety of others and we are determined to tackle this menace. That is why we are taking urgent steps to make drug screening technology available as soon as possible."

 

The specifications are still being decided, but it is understood the Home Office wants the equipment to be capable of testing for the most common drugs, such as cannabis and cocaine.

 

It is not known yet if the test will use a sample of a suspect's saliva, as suggested by Sir Peter.

 

What is also uncertain is whether there will be a drug-drive limit, similar to the drink-drive limit, based on the level of driving impairment.

 

An alternative approach would be zero tolerance, where any amount of illegal drugs resulted in a prosecution regardless of whether driving was impaired.

 

The Home Office and Department for Transport are also to spend £300,000 on research into roadside testing equipment, with the eventual aim that all evidence for prosecutions could be gathered on site by traffic police.

 

The money will also be used to develop technology that can test for a wider range of drugs than is currently possible.

[FloridityNow]

It was just a matter of time but I would rather have indisputable proof of my innocence rather that some LEO saying I think you're driving under the influence of drugs but no reliable test is available to prove it or disprove it so I have to arrest you.

 

Be careful what you wish for. "Specifications" for the designer testing devices were given but could in fact be prescriptions for targeting cannabis users - not any better than getting slammed for no testing device available, and worse because testing will create more discrimination. Has there ever been a reliable roadside testing method? No! These tests have all proven to be unreliable. Cops need to stop busting people for other things during routine traffic violation stops.

[TheSmartestManAlive]

I fail to see how this could possibly be a good thing ? Lol

[master.caregiver]

i seen some of this krap they had a sniffing machine that whould smell mary j on your hand if u touched a door knob that some one that smokes did too they laid it to rest after they found this out