BBC NEWS | UK | Learning the drug drive code

Deaths from drug driving are seemingly on the increase - Durham Police reveal 50% of fatalities so far this year in the county were influenced by drugs.

Roadside testing for drugs among motorists is not yet available, but BBC News Online found the knowledge of how drugs affect our driving is getting better.

Superintendent Barry Peart, who heads Durham Police's traffic department said many people are unaware of the effect drugs have on their driving.

"At the moment a lot of the evidence of drugs and driving comes from assessing the fatalities," he said.

"We want to find these people and stop them driving under the influence of drugs before they kill themselves or someone else."

Rebecca Finlay, press officer for Addaction, the UK's leading drug treatment agency, agreed that many drivers forget the physical effect of drugs.

"Our advice is for people to be as aware of the hazards of drugged driving as they are about drink driving," she said.

With their help, BBC News Online has compiled this guide to how drugs can impair a motorist's ability to drive.

Cannabis

Cannabis is a relaxant and may reduce a person's ability to react quickly in pressurised situations.

The effects can be likened to having five or six pints of beer or lager.

The drug has a very similar effect to alcohol, but usually lasts a shorter amount of time - roughly two to four hours.

But traces of drugs can still be detected in a person's system for weeks after being taken.

It can make a person unsteady and can blur vision.

Reaction on the road is slowed down, driver can have a lack of concentration and poor hand and eye co-ordination.

At times there can be a feeling of euphoria, replaced later with drowsiness.

Mixed with alcohol the effects of cannabis can increase dramatically - a person can feel completely disorientated.

Ecstasy

Ecstasy is a stimulant which falsely heightens a person's perception of light and sound.

It is also an hallucinogenic drug.

It can give a person a feeling of euphoria and an increase of energy.

They may well have a feeling of "invincibility" which changes a person's driving, making it less planned than normal.

Supt Peart said: "A person taking ecstasy may drive into danger with a smile on their face.

"They may well think they are a better driver than they actually are."

Ecstasy tablets
Ecstasy falsely heightens a driver's appreciation of light and sound

Mixed with other elements, such as alcohol, exaggerates the above effects to an even greater extent.

Cocaine

Also a stimulant which again falsely heightens a person's perception of light and sound.

Very similar effect on driving as ecstasy - feeling of invincibility and euphoria.

The incidents of cocaine being found in victims of driving accidents is becoming more common.

Again, mixed with other substances such as alcohol, the effects of cocaine and driving can be potentially lethal.

Heroin

The numbers of drivers found with heroin in their blood after a road traffic fatality are said to be increasing.

But it is widely agreed that someone heavily under the influence of heroin will be unlikely to be in any fit condition to attempt to drive.

Prescription drugs

These can also have a detrimental effect on driving.

Drugs such as temazepam or diazepam taken for depression are cropping up in tests after road deaths.

These can cause drowsiness and those taking such tablets are warned against using machinery.

Similarly strong migraine and hay fever tablets can cause a similar drowsiness and a lack of speedy reaction to situations.

Users of these kinds of prescription tablets are advised not to drink and the mix of alcohol can seriously impair driving ability, perhaps resulting in blurred vision.


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