Drug drivers to be made to take rehab sessions to get back on the road
There were over 12,000 convictions of drug driving in 2019
Last updated 29th May 2022
People charged with drug driving will need to undergo mandatory rehab sessions being allowed to drive again, according to the Government.
Under new proposed measures announced by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, those who are caught under the influence of drugs will need to take lessons in order to get their licence back.
It comes as Mr Shapps said he was concerned at the number of repeat offenders who are being pulled over by the police.
In 2019, over 12,000 convictions were handed out to people for driving whilst under the influence of drugs, 44% of which were reoffenders.
Once convicted, drivers could banned from the roads, fined or given a prison sentence, depending on the severity.
But drug drivers receive no support after being sentenced, as rehabilitation services offered to those charged with drink driving are not being extended to them.
Speaking on the changes, the Transport Secretary said that rehabilitation could be the potential key to reducing the number of convictions.
"Drink-driving is now rightly seen as a social taboo by most of us in this country and we have worked hard to drive down drink-drive related deaths," he said.
"But if we are to make our roads safer still, there is no room to be lax on drug-driving, which is why I have launched this call for evidence today.
"It's only right that drug-drivers must undergo rehabilitation before getting back behind the wheel, helping protect the public from this hidden problem and stamping out drug-driving for good."
RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes added: "Drug-driving ruins lives and threatens the safety of all road users.
"We welcome proposals to offer drug-driving offenders rehabilitation courses, in the same way those caught drink-driving are offered them, because the evidence shows this helps to reduce reoffending and improves road safety."
Any changes that get passed would be implemented on British roads, but would remain exempt in Northern Ireland.