Nearly 500 arrests for drug driving

Drug Driving copy (1)

Since the introduction of the Drug Drive Law in March 2015, Cheshire Police have arrested nearly 500 people for drug driving.

The majority of those arrested were young men between the ages of 17 and 30 and Macclesfield Police Unit saw the highest number of arrests with 78 between July ad December 2015.

Superintendent Bev Raistrick said: "It's disheartening to see that so many young people still believe that it is acceptable to drive whilst under the influence of drugs.

"Driving under the influence of drugs is extremely dangerous; it affects your reaction time, making it harder for you to judge your speed, judge your distance between you and other vehicles and notice potential hazards. All of this means that you are more likely to be involved in a collision whilst driving under the influence of either alcohol or drugs."

"Every day officers have to deal with the devastating consequences of drug driving, whether that is arresting offenders, attending fatal collisions or supporting families who have lost loved ones in collisions caused by drug driving."

Superintendent Raistrick added; "We want all young drivers to think about the effects that drug driving could have on them, how they would cope if they lost a loved one? How would they cope if they lost their job?

"I truly feel that if they stepped back and thought about the consequences of their decision to drive under the influence of illegal drugs then they would change their mind. Drug driving can have a devastating impact, not only on the offenders themselves, but also on the lives of other innocent road users."

As part of a new campaign aimed at reducing the number of drug drivers, which has been funded by the Department of Transport, the Constabulary will be using roadside drug testing kits to specifically target suspected drug drivers.

Assistant Chief Constable Mark Roberts said; "Cheshire Police is committed to making Cheshire's roads safer. We will use all of the tools and powers available to us to help us achieve our goal.

"Cheshire has the highest conviction rate for drug driving in the whole of the North West, and one of the highest in the UK, so offenders are more likely to be caught in Cheshire than are anywhere else in the region.

"Anyone who is caught drug driving faces a minimum 12 month driving ban, an unlimited fine, up to six months in prison and a criminal record, this could affect their job, their family and their livelihood."

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Drug Driving
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