The problem of drug driving is not just about illegal drugs such as:

• Cannabis
• Marijuana
• Ecstasy
• Cocaine
• Heroin

...but also about prescription drugs and over the counter drugs which are just as dangerous to driver safety.

Drugs have an effect on the driver's co-ordination and they can believe that they're driving safely when in fact they're not.

Since 1998 there has been a huge increase in the number of people killed in road crashes with traces of illegal drugs in their bodies.

In addition, 200,000 motorists admit to getting into a vehicle in the past 12 months when they knew the driver was under the influence of hard drugs.

The law
The law is the same for drivers caught driving under the influence of illegal drugs and drivers caught driving under the influence of prescribed drugs:

• Disqualification for at least a year
• A fine of up to £5000
• Up to six months imprisonment

If you cause a death by careless driving under the influence of drink or drugs you could be imprisoned for up to 14 years.

So the message is simple:

NEVER TAKE DRUGS AND DRIVE.