Learner arrested for drug driving during test

A learner driver was arrested for drug driving after being stopped during his driving test by police.

The 26-year-old was stopped by officers after they spotted a defective brake light and poor driving, Merseyside Police Roads Policing Unit said.

When officers spoke to the driver they could smell cannabis and he subsequently failed a drugs test. He was also found to be in possession of cannabis and was arrested and the test terminated.

"Although some people may find the humour in the fact someone on a driving test was arrested, drug driving is no laughing matter," Roads Policing Insp Simon Wilson said.

The man, who is from Wigan and had been taking his driving test in St Helens, was spotted by officers on patrol on King Street at about 17:00 GMT on Sunday.

The vehicle was returned to the man's mother at the test centre, who was "shocked to see a police officer step out instead of her son leading to a very awkward conversation", the Road Policing Unit said in a post on X.

The driver was taken into police custody and has since been released under investigation. Police said the brake light fault was intermittent.

"Officers rightly pulled over the car after noticing that a brake light wasn't working, which is dangerous not only for the occupants of the vehicle but also other road users," Wilson said.

"After speaking to the driver, it was clear that there was much more for officers to be concerned with and he was arrested on suspicion of drug driving.

"It is incredibly dangerous and selfish to get behind the wheel of a vehicle under the influence of drugs and it's an offence we take seriously at Merseyside Police."

Each year the force runs Operation Limit as part of a nation-wide initiative to tackle drink and drug driving across the festive period.

Wilson said the force continues to work year round to crackdown "on selfish drivers who pose a risk to themselves and others".

"Our stance on illegal substances is clear: nobody should be taking them," he said.

"But even if you choose to break the law and take illegal drugs, that does not give you the right to endanger the lives of innocent people on the roads who have no way of knowing you are driving intoxicated."

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