In some places, the number of drug-drivers on roads is higher than that of drink drivers. This shocking fact was revealed by shocking numbers.
The number of cases involving people driving high has risen from 12,163 to 13,732 in 2019, with 97% of those who were charged being convicted.
Nevertheless, the number of drunk driving cases in court has fallen from 52.029 in 2010 down to 28.483 last year.
The DVLA now has the following five locations where officers are most likely to pull over a driver who exceeds the legal alcohol limit.
The number of cases involving people driving high has risen from 12,163 to 13,732 in 2019, with 97% of those accused convicted.
According to figures obtained after an FOI request, Liverpool was the largest city for drug-drivers.
Liverpool saw 639 drug-driving convictions last year. 411 were sentenced to drink driving.
Llandudno, North Wales saw 455 drug-drivers convicted. This compares to 410 drink drivers.
Southend, Essex saw 256 convictions. Hereford had 133 drivers caught. Llandrindod Wells Powys was the most prolific with 25 sentences.
However, drink driving court cases dropped by 28% from 52,029 last year to 28,483 in 2010.
Two cannabis joyriders were killed
An impaired driver of cannabis was jailed after he hit two cyclists with a stolen vehicle and then killed them both.
Colin Smith was 23 years old and driving a Ford Fiesta, going 70 mph on Speke’s 40 mph roads in Liverpool. He hit the pair February 2019, 2019.
This was twice the legal cannabis limit.
Smith was convicted of dangerous driving causing death and severe injury at Liverpool Crown Court in May.
The Ministry of Justice data show that prosecutions for drug driving have increased from just 1,465 last year to an all-time high of 13,732, in the six years since it was made a crime.
After a 19% increase in drug-related arrests from the 1,630 drivers in 2018, Merseyside Police declared it was the first police force to record more than 2000 drugs drive arrests per calendar year.
There were 2,201 officers who arrested motorists. In contrast, only 1,383 drunk drivers were arrested by the police during that time.
David Davies, executive director of the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety, has described a ‘postcode lottery’ in prosecutions with some forces convicting ten times as many drug drivers compared to others.
He told the Police Federation’s Roads Policing Conference earlier this month that nearly half of drug drivers caught have previously been convicted of the offence.
He said that around two-thirds of the drug driver caught were already convicted criminals.
Paul Mountford, a casualty reduction officer in Merseyside Police’s Safer Roads Unit, said it was a ‘significant problem across the country’ which endangers lives, adding: ‘The vast majority of violent crime on our streets is the result of drug disputes between people who sell to those who then go on to wreak havoc on our streets with their impaired driving.’
A National Police Chiefs’ Council spokesman said: ‘Drink or drug driving is completely unacceptable at any time and catching motorists who are prepared to take such a deplorable risk is a priority for every police force in the UK.’