Glasgow drivers facing roadside drug tests
Drivers in Glasgow can expect roadside drug tests as Scotland clamps down on driving regulations.
The law, which came into effect yesterday, allows police to carry out immediate drug tests on suspected drivers.
The tests involve using ‘mouth swabs’ at the side of the road to test for illegal drugs.
The new law means that there will be no need to prove that drug-drivers were driving in an impaired manner if they test positive.
It comes into effect shortly after a study was released showing that people are three times more likely to be injured in a road collision after taking cannabis.
For cocaine, the figure rises, making people ten times more likely to be killed or injured in a collision.
The penalty that drivers face is a 12-month driving ban, between 3 and 11 penalty points, a criminal record and up to 6 months in prison. Offenders could also be charged up to £5,000.
Chief Inspector Darren Faulds said: “This new legislation gives my officers the powers to detect, at the roadside, those selfish motorists who risk the lives of others and themselves by driving after taking illegal substances.”
Scotland’s drug laws take a zero-tolerance approach to the eight drugs associated with illegal use, which include cannabis, heroin and cocaine.
Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Humza Yousaf, said: “The consequences of causing a collision while under the influence can be devastating.
“Alongside out stringent drink driving limits, these new curbs will ensure Scotland’s law enforcement agencies have the most robust powers in the UK to tackle impaired and unsafe driving in order to keep people safe.”
Motorists stopped by police for unrelated offences or those involved in a road collision may also be tested.
