DRUGGED DRIVERS DESERVE IT

It seems ludicrous that it has taken until now for laws to be
formulated so that police can test and charge drivers who are under
the influence of drugs.

From December, police will be able to test drivers for drugs as well
as alcohol and they're promising to make full use of their new powers
after years of being able to do nothing about drivers obviously under
the influence of drugs but had to be let go because they passed the
alcohol test.

Surely it's just as dangerous to be driving under the influence of
drugs as it is to drink and drive. In both cases your judgement and
reflexes would be impaired to the point where you pose a serious
threat on the road.

Yet it's taken until 2009 for a government to set about formulating
legislation so that the police can do something about it.

Imagine how smug some drugged drivers must have felt for all these
years, getting away with it. Imagine how smug the rest of us now feel,
knowing that from the end of this year those people will be finding
themselves in court, alongside the drink-drivers - and deservedly so.

They are no better than drink-drivers.

Being drunk and getting behind the wheel and getting high and getting
behind the wheel both involve a person being totally irresponsible and
not caring about the risk they are taking - the risk to themselves as
well as others on our roads.

It's about time drugged driving became officially against the
law.

It's unbelievable it's taken so long.