Cork Road Safety Working Together Group Local Road Safety Plan
Drug Driving
Drug-driving is a complex issue that presents an array of challenges for research policy and programmes. The Road Traffic Act 2016 focuses on addressing the problem of driving while under the influence of drugs. The Act allows Gardaí to test drivers for drugs at the roadside.
Current provisions for Mandatory Alcohol Testing (MAT) checkpoints provide for Mandatory Intoxication Testing (MIT) checkpoints testing drivers for both alcohol and drugs. Under these measures, Gardaí can ask drivers to undergo a preliminary drug test and those caught driving while impaired will face a minimum disqualification of 4 years for their first offence and 6 years for their second and subsequent offence. An offence of driving / being in charge of a mechanically propelled vehicle with the presence of three illicit drugs (Cannabis, Cocaine, and Heroin) has also been introduced. Drivers found above legal thresholds for these drugs will commit an offence without An Garda Síochána having to prove impairment. Provisional figures released by An Garda Siochána show that 38,259 Mandatory Intoxicant Checkpoints were carried out in 2020 5 . (These figures are subject to an ongoing review).
Drink Driving
Research published by the Road Safety Authority reveals that the presence of alcohol is still a major factor in fatalities on Irish roads. The ‘Road Deaths and Alcohol 2013-2017’ report released in July 2020, focused on road user fatalities that had a positive toxicology for alcohol at the time of the collision.
The research reveals that, of the 600 road user fatalities from 2013 to 2017, where a toxicology result was available, 36.5% had a positive toxicology for alcohol. Of these 219 road user fatalities with a positive toxicology for alcohol, 62% were drivers/motorcycle drivers.
5 https://www.garda.ie/en/roads-policing/statistics/previous-years-roads-policing- statistics/overview-2020.html
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