- The Observer, Sunday January 18 2004
Trials of sophisticated breathalyser-style kits, supposed to detect traces of illegal drugs in bodily fluids such as saliva, have led to people on ordinary medication, such as heart drugs, being wrongly identified as having taken illegal drugs.
The Home Office will now introduce compulsory American-style 'sobriety tests' - making suspects touch a finger to their nose, walk heel to toe along the road in a straight line, stand on one leg or count silently to 30 - later this year, MPs were told last week. At present the tests are not compulsory.
The Labour MP Laura Moffatt, a former nurse and member of the all-party group on drug misuse, warned that introducing chemical testing kits too soon would backfire.
'We got it right with breath testing, but this is challengeable,' she said. 'The Home Office is right to be cautious about it.'
Calls for a crackdown on drugged drivers have risen with the growth in cannabis, cocaine and ecstasy use, particularly among young people. Last week a 24-year-old man was jailed for seven years for killing schoolgirl Laura Swadkins when he lost control of his car while high on amphetamines.
Caroline Flint, a Home Office Minister, told MPs last week that it would be 2006 before any of the more hi-tech drug-testing kits - originally supposed to be ready by 2002 - were likely to be approved.
Richard Brumstrom, chief constable of North Wales, said yesterday reliable testing kits would still be needed in the end. 'There is a real need to develop a device that can assist operational police officers in the detection of drug driving,' he said.
A recent survey found up to one in 20 drivers were under the influence of drugs, while up to one in four road accidents involve their use.
While cannabis can slow a driver's reactions, drugs such as cocaine may encourage risk-taking. Although there is evidence of US fighter pilots taking amphetamines to improve their reaction speed, such substances can also affect peripheral focus - important for drivers who come across unexpected situations.
