LAUNCH OF NEW DRUG DRIVING INITIATIVE

A MAJOR crackdown on drug driving was launched today.

The regional campaign was kicked off in County Durham, aimed at raising the
awareness of the dangers of driving whilst under the influence of drugs and
the penalties motorists can face.

In Durham throughout last year, ten of the drivers in 38 fatal road traffic
accidents were found to have drugs in their systems.

And, one in 17 drivers involved in all accidents across the region are
found to have taken drugs.

For the first time officers in County Durham will be specifically targeting
drug drivers and all 80 traffic cops are being put through the FIT (Fitness
Impaired Training) which will enable them to detect whether driving has
been impaired.

It will also give them a good idea of which drugs have been taken which can
then be confirmed by a toxicology blood test.

Paul Goundry, head of traffic at Durham Police, said: "These tests are
absolutely superb at detecting the impaired driver. If alcohol has been
discounted at a roadside test, we can now use the FIT tests which are
simple to perform when sober but much more difficult to do when impaired."

Through the FIT training officers are taught how to judge pupil dilation,
the Romberg test, which involves a driver counting up to 30 with their eyes
shut, and simple co-ordination tasks.

The campaign, which is in its second phase, is a partnership approach,
involving road safety officers, drug action teams and all three police
forces in the area, Northumbria, Durham and Cleveland.

Vanessa Bainbridge, from the Northumberland Drug Action Team, said: "We all
know that drink and driving don't mix and we need to continue getting
across the same message about drugs."