More than a fifth of young motorists find it ‘acceptable’ to be behind wheel while high on cocaine

Driving while high on cocaine is “acceptable” to more than one in five young drivers, a survey has revealed.

A survey for IAM RoadSmart, the charity, found that a “concerning minority” of motorists think drug-driving is “acceptable”.

Nearly one in six – 13 per cent – of the 2,000 drivers polled by the charity agreed with the idea that getting behind the wheel after consuming “Class A drugs such as cocaine and ecstasy” was normal. Among drivers aged 17-34, the number who agreed with the statement rose to 22 per cent.

The finding comes after the National Police Chiefs’ Council warned last year that drug-driving, where motorists are under the influence of illegal substances, is now more widespread than drink-driving.

‘An illegal and reckless practice’

Figures from the Ministry of Justice show that between 2021 and 2022, the number of drug-driving cases fell by 36 per cent – down from 27,962 in 2021, a six-year high, to 17,835 the year after.

When IAM Roadsmart asked drivers, “How acceptable do you personally feel it is for a driver to drive after using Class A drugs such as cocaine and ecstasy?” some 13 per cent – nearly one in six – responded that it was “acceptable”.

Just 5 per cent of those aged between 50 and 69 thought that drug-driving was OK.

William Porter, IAM Roadsmart’s policy manager, said: “Using Class A substances before getting behind the wheel is an illegal and reckless practice that puts all road users at risk.

“Our research has found that a concerning number of motorists – especially young drivers – view getting behind the wheel under the influence of illegal substances as being OK.

“We believe that a scheme to introduce drug-driving courses should be part of an overall strategy to reduce reoffending.”

Concern remains

Hundreds of drug-driving motorists are killed every year with 171 dying in 2021 alone, the latest year for which figures are available.

Government figures suggest that the number of drivers killed with illegal drugs in their system peaked in 2017 at 16 per cent of all fatalities.

Lower numbers of motorists in recent years, driven by the Covid lockdowns, have depressed the overall casualty figures – but concern remains around drug-driving.

In April 2022, Grant Shapps, the transport secretary at the time, proposed barring convicted drug-drivers from being allowed back behind the wheel until they had taken rehabilitation courses.

Advisers at the time proposed a new combined drink and drug-driving offence, with a lower drug and blood alcohol limit because of the heightened risk from combining the two.