Drug-driving increase in Clare

IN a week where research presented at the Road Safety Authority (RSA) Annual Lecture on Road Safety revealed that drug-driving could be as serious a problem as drink-driving in Ireland, the head of Clare’s Garda Road Traffic Division, Inspector John Galvin, warned instances of drug-driving are on the increase in Clare.
“Drug-driving is a serious offence and a number of people have been arrested for the offence in Clare. It carries a mandatory disqualification on conviction and is prosecuted under the same section of the Road Traffic Act as drink-driving. Detection of drug-driving is the same process as it is for drink-driving and once gardaí on patrol form the opinion the driver is under the influence of an intoxicant, which can be alcohol or drugs, that individual can be arrested. If found to be under the influence of more than the legal limit of alcohol or of drugs, they can be prosecuted and on conviction face a mandatory disqualification from driving,” the inspector stressed.
Inspector Galvin said a person need not be under the influence of illicit drugs to be found guilty of this offence, as prescription medication and some over-the-counter drugs can also have the same effect on driving ability.
Speaking at the RSA annual lecture this week, Dr Doug Beirness, the main author of the OECD/ITF report on Drugs and Driving, revealed drugs were a contributory factor in as many as one-in-three driver deaths in Canada in the period 2000 to 2007.
His research showed that almost two-in-five fatally injured drivers aged 25-44 in the period 2000 to 2007 in Canada were using drugs.
Dr Beirness, who also works with the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, said that although there are many parallels between drug-driving and drink-driving, there are also many differences that warrant a distinct and separate response.
“From our research in Canada, it would appear that drug-driving, whether prescribed medication or illegal substances, is as serious a problem as drink-driving.
“This is quite shocking when you consider the role drink driving plays in road deaths. Furthermore, our research into driver deaths in Canada between 2000 and 2007 showed that drugs were a contributory factor in one-third of driver deaths and in 30% of deaths in drivers younger than 18-years-old.
“Drugs affect your ability to drive in a number of ways; they decrease alertness, impair coordination, lead to increased risk-taking, poor decision making and reduce your cognitive function. It is vital that more research is conducted into the role of drugs in deaths and serious injuries so we can fully know how big a problem it is and how to effectively deal with it,” he said.
Speaking at the event, Noel Brett, chief executive of the RSA said, “The research presented highlights some worrying statistics, particularly that it is very likely the problem of drug driving in Ireland could be as serious as that of drink driving.
“This is of huge concern when we know that driving under the influence of drugs is just as dangerous as driving when under the influence of alcohol. It’s also against the law.”
Assistant Garda Commissioner John Twomey, who presented on the challenges for enforcement, said the Road Traffic Bill 2009 will give power to gardaí to carry out preliminary impairment tests to assist in determining whether a driver is under the influence of an intoxicant, including drugs.
The Road Safety Authority also issued a warning about how drugs can affect your mind and body in a variety of ways that impair safe driving. 
“The effects can last for hours or even days, for example, cannabis shows in urine for up to four weeks after it is taken,” a spokesperson for the RSA stated.
For further information, see www.rsa.ie.