Consultation on Proposals to Modernise Northern Ireland's Drug Driving Laws

Overview

The purpose of this consultation is to seek views on a range of policy measures aimed at better tackling the problem of drug driving and hopefully deterring people from taking drugs and driving. With these measures we aim to enhance existing primary legislative provisions. The measures include creating new drug driving offences which will make it illegal to exceed the limits for certain specified drugs.  We believe that this will help the PSNI in their efforts to prosecute those who insist on taking drugs and driving and will also contribute to making our roads safer. To give effect to the offences we also propose to take powers to enable us, at a later date, to specify in subordinate legislation the drugs and limits to which the new offences will apply.

Why your views matter

Driving is a complex skill requiring the co-ordination of cognitive and motor functions. Driving under the influence of drugs (illicit, i.e. illegal or medicinal) can affect these functions and impair someone’s ability to drive, making them a serious road safety risk. Drugs can lead to unsafe driving and can lead to collisions, potentially resulting in deaths or serious injuries to other road users as well as drug drivers themselves. Drug driving leads to significant social, economic and financial costs. For every death or serious injury there is a chain of people affected, including the family, friends and wider community, as well as the emergency and health services.

We welcome views from individuals and organisations on a range of policy measures on the issue of drug driving.