Government's response to the reports by Sir Peter North CBE QC and the Transport Select Committee on drink and drug driving

Book excerpt: This paper presents the Government's response to the North Report on Drink and Drug Driving and the Transport Committee's report on Sir Peter North's recommendations. It outlines measure the Government intends to introduce. The prescribed alcohol limit for driving will not be changed, with the focus instead on improving enforcement and education to tackle the drink and drug drivers who put lives at risk. Other measures on drink driving include: revocation of the right for people whose evidential breath test result is less than 40% over the limit to opt for a blood test (the 'statutory option') - the breath testing equipment used in police stations is now very accurate and technically sophisticated so a blood sample is not needed to confirm the breath test; a more robust drink drive rehabilitation scheme; closing a loophole used by high risk offenders to delay their medical examinations; streamlining the procedure for testing drink drivers in hospital. On drug driving the Government will: approve preliminary drug-testing equipment - initially for use in police stations, and at the roadside as soon as possible; allow custody nurses to advise the police whether or not a suspected driver has a condition that may be due to a drug, removing the need to call out police doctors and so speed up the testing process; examine the case for a new specific drug driving offence - alongside the existing one - which would remove the need for the police to prove impairment on a case-by-case basis where a specified drug has been detected.