Government action on drugs and driving

The BMA has called on the UK government to develop a campaign to highlight that taking drugs—whether prescribed, over the counter, or illegal—can impair driving capacity in a similar way to alcohol.
The BMA has recommended that the government should coordinate scientific research to establish effective drug testing devices and should educate the public on the association between taking some drugs and impaired driving ability.
To help publicise the problem, the BMA has developed a website www.bma.org.uk that reviews trends in road traffic fatalities and injuries, as well as research on drugs and driving performance. The website highlights research from the Transport Research Laboratory showing that the number of people involved in fatal collisions who tested positive for illegal drugs increased sixfold between the periods 1985-87 and 1996-99

Source:BMJ2002;324-632 16th March 2002

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