A survey conducted in the UK has revealed the worrying number of motorists that have driven after consuming illegal drugs.
The study from IAM RoadSmart surveyed 2,028 motorists in the UK and asked them which substances they may have taken within 24 hours of driving. Some 10% of respondents admitted to using illegal drugs within 24 hours of driving. Extrapolating this data out to all of the UK’s 35 million residents with a full driving license would suggest that as many as 3.5 million have consumed drugs before driving.
Cannabis was found to be the most widely used substance with 5% of respondents saying they had consumed it before driving. The next most commonly used illegal substances were cocaine, ecstasy, and speed.
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This survey was conducted after it was revealed that the number of drug-driving incidents in the UK reached record highs. In fact, the Department for Transport states that drug-related collisions and casualties have spiked by over 260% in the last decade. What’s particularly worrying is that 44% of these offenses are being conducted by previous offenders.
“Our research offers a sobering insight into how Britain’s drug epidemic is rearing its ugly head on our roads,” director of Policy and Research at IAM RoadSmart, Neil Greig said. “Illicit drugs can profoundly impair a motorist’s judgment, reaction times and alertness while driving, and some of the effects can last for days after a drug has been taken. As can be seen in the DfT statistics, this is causing havoc on the nation’s roads. But with nearly half of the offenses being committed by previous offenders, and casualties increasing year-on-year, it is about time that the government took urgent action to address this issue before more lives are tragically lost.”
