Drug Driving - Do You Know The Limits?

A new anti-drug law will come into effect in England and Wales on 2 March 2015.

So why is this new legislation being introduced?

The new law aims to catch and punish those who put the lives of others at risk while driving under the influence of drugs.

So is it just illegal drugs that the new law will outlaw?

No, as well as banning driving while under the influence of illegal drugs, the new law will include some prescription medicines.

So how do I know whether the new laws will affect me?

The new legislation sets very low levels for eight well known illegal drugs, including cannabis and cocaine, but also includes eight prescription drugs, where the levels have been set much higher.

Most of them, including Temazepan and Diazepam, are used for treating conditions such as anxiety but the list also includes methadone, a heroin substitute and pain medication, and morphine, a powerful opiate also used for pain relief.

The good news is that prescribed doses do not exceed the limits for legal drugs, so most patients should still be safe to drive.

Those who are unsure are advised to seek the advice of a pharmacist.

So what recourse would a driver have if a prescribed dose caused them to fall foul of this new legislation?

The new legislation will provide drivers with a medical defence if they have been taking medication as directed and are found to be over the limit but not impaired.

Road Safety Minister, Robert Goodwill, said...