The Road Safety Authority (RSA) launched its fifth in a series of anti-drug driving awareness campaigns in association with An Garda Síochána on 12th April 2017. The campaign was introduced in co-operation with the *Medical Bureau for Road Safety in UCD and is supported by the departments of Transport, Tourism and Sport.The focus of the campaign is to raise awareness of Preliminary Drug Testing, which has been introduced by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, the 2016 Road Traffic Act.
Driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) has been a statutory offence in Ireland since the introduction of the Road Traffic Act 1961. The legal definition states that a person must not be impaired (though alcohol, drugs or any combination of both) while in charge of a mechanically propelled vehicle. Since 13th April 2017, An Garda Síochána have the power to test the oral fluid of drivers for the presence of Cannabis, Cocaine, Opiates (e.g. Morphine) and Benzodiazepines (e.g. Valium) at the roadside or in a Garda station. This testing will be facilitated by a Drager 5000 drug tester device.
In Ireland, there is a twin-track approach to drug driving: Firstly, it is against the law to drive under the influence of drugs (including prescribed drugs) where your driving is impaired to such an extent that you don’t have proper control of the vehicle. Secondly, it is against the law to drive under the influence of certain drugs (regardless of driving performance) above specified levels. There are currently three drugs tested for– cannabis, cocaine and heroin. If you are found to have any of these drugs above the specified limits, you can be prosecuted for drug driving even if your driving is not impaired.
Source: rsa.ie, 12/04/2017
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