DRUG DRIVING BECOMES MAJOR MENACE ON ROADS

Drug driving is emerging as a major menace on roads, a study
reveals.

Of drivers stopped on suspicion of drink driving, more than one in
three were found to have been driving under the influence of narcotics.

The problem is now so widespead a high level road safety group at the
Department of the Environment is examining the issue.

Remember 37% of the positive drug samples were from people who were
under the legal limit for alcohol, Professor Denis Cusack, of
University College Dublin's medical bureau of road safety, who headed
the study team, said.

Their findings are reported in the latest edition of the Irish Medical
News.

"These are people the gardai arrested on suspicion of intoxicated
driving, and even I have to change my whole mentality and no longer
say drink driving.

When these drivers are found not to have an alcohol level above the
legal limit the question obviously arises that there must be something
else influencing their driving," Prof Cusack said. "I think we can
be anything but complacent. Even though these are preliminary figures,
the High Level Group on Road Safety at the Department of the
Environment are in fact looking at the issue," he added.

"The report found that cannabis is the major drug group used, followed
by minor tranquillisers. But whether the drugs taken by drivers were
legal or illicit was not a matter that concerned road safety," Prof
Cusack said.

"People could actually be taking the minor tranquillisers according
to prescription. They could be taking the minor tranquillisers not on
prescription or even illegally," said Prof Cusack.

The prohibition on driving while under the influence of drugs has been
a feature of the law for nearly 40 years, first being featured in the
1961 Road Traffic Act.

Ten years ago, gardai stopping motorists on suspicion of driving under
the influence found 15% of them had been taking drugs.

"What we now see, in relation to society in general, is a greater
use of drugs and what people will call recreational drugs, that is,
cannabis and ecstasy. I think what we are seeing now is a greater
awareness, and I think this will become one of the leader issues in
safety on the roads over the next year or two."

Further research would be continued over the next two years to try to
get more information to establish specific data about the problem -
whether it was a countrywide issue, more prevalent among men or women
or the age groups involved.