Drugs & driving

The use and misuse/dependency on drugs and alcohol is an increasing problem in the UK. I suspect the increasingly rare sight of a police car is a factor that encourages some people to feel it's unlikely they'll be stopped if they get into a car having consumed either of these popular substances.

A couple of years ago I phoned 999 for an ambulance and the police having seen the man behind me on a dual carriageway hit the central reservation. His car skidded and he hit a different car on the slip road, causing a lot of damage to both cars. He told the police I'd caused the accident by pulling out immediately in front of him. He added that ice on the road had caused him to skid. Neither of these claims were true. What surprised me and the young driver of the other car was that no one was given a drug or breath test. The young man who hit the central reservation etc looked to me to be under the influence of drugs. Even taking into account the shock of the accident, his appearance rang alarm bells, huge pupils, exaggerated startle response etc. The other driver and I both queried some kind of stimulant. My feeling was the police wanted to avoid getting involved in the inevitable row between the 3 insurance companies about who paid for the repairs etc.

It was the drug figure that shocked me 56% of drivers stopped tested positive for drugs compared with 5% for alcohol.
Seems that the drink drive message has got through bur not drugs.

Testing following an accident seems erratic. I had a serious accident a couple of years ago that was entirely my fault, to my surprise I was not breathalysed or charged with anything ( I hadn't been drinking and was not speeding). The officer at the scene said that as no one was seriously injured, they would not be taking any action.
I'm sure in another instance I would have been breathalysed and charged with careless/dangerous diving.

I saw that item too, Pompa, on breakfast TV, and was shocked.
It makes me scared to drive on British roads, though I expect it's the same in France. We often find ourselves behind a car weaving from one side of the road to the other, especially at about 2pm
Daughter and BF were driving up to Hull last night, hope they're ok.
I wonder if the tests covered the whole day and night, or only night-time?

I don't think it is quite as dramatic as it may first seem, it was 56% of those stopped and tested, so they would have had to have been showing signs of drugs/alcohol to have been stopped. This would therefore be a very small % of all drivers.
You have very little to worry about compared to all the other dangers on the road.