A learner driver was arrested on suspicion of drug driving while taking his practical test.

It highlights the growing concerns about the scale of drug-impaired driving on UK roads.

Being caught for drug driving on test could be seen as a prime example of an increasingly laissez-faire attitude to driving under the influence.

Possessing the facts

Police stopped the vehicle during a driving test in St Helens after officers noticed a defective brake light and concerns about the way the car was being driven.

When they spoke to the driver, officers said they could smell cannabis and carried out a roadside drug wipe test, which the driver failed.

The driver, a 26-year-old man from Wigan in Greater Manchester, was arrested on suspicion of drug driving and taken into custody.

Police also reported that he was found to be in possession of cannabis.

He has since been released under investigation while enquiries continue.

Roads policing officers stressed that although the circumstances may appear unusual, the incident highlights a serious road safety issue.

Inspector Simon Wilson from Merseyside Police said drug driving is “incredibly dangerous and selfish”.

He warned that motorists who get behind the wheel after taking drugs are putting both themselves and other road users at risk.

 

 

The law

Drug driving has been a specific criminal offence in the UK since 2015, when new legislation introduced strict legal limits for certain substances in a driver’s blood.

These include both illegal drugs, such as cannabis and cocaine, and some prescription medicines that can impair driving ability.

Police can conduct roadside drug tests using “drug wipe” kits that detect substances in saliva samples.

If the test is positive, the driver can be arrested and required to provide a blood sample at a police station for confirmation.

The penalties for drug driving are severe.

Anyone convicted faces a minimum 12-month driving ban, up to six months in prison, an unlimited fine and a criminal record.

Offenders may also be required to pass an extended driving test before they are allowed back on the road.

Drivers can also be prosecuted if they are impaired by legally prescribed medication, particularly if they ignore medical advice not to drive.

Growing concern

Cases like the St Helens incident come against the backdrop of rising drug-driving offences across England and Wales.

According to recent data, more than 20,000 drivers were sentenced for drug-driving offences in 2024, representing a 143% increase compared with 2017.

Drug driving is also becoming a major factor in serious collisions.

Government research indicates that impairment drugs are detected in between 22% and 31% of drivers who die in road crashes in Great Britain.

The most commonly detected drugs in drivers involved in collisions are cannabis and cocaine, and younger adults aged between 20 and 29 are the group most frequently affected.

Campaigners warn that the scale of the problem may be even greater than official figures suggest, as many drivers are never tested unless they are involved in a collision or stopped by police.

 

Increasing enforcement

Police forces across the UK have stepped up roadside drug testing in recent years as part of wider road safety campaigns.

New technology allows officers to quickly identify drug use during routine traffic stops, which has contributed to the increase in arrests and prosecutions.

Road safety organisations say the incident involving a learner driver is a stark reminder that drug driving can occur at any stage of a driver’s career.

For police, the message remains simple: taking drugs and driving is a criminal offence that carries serious consequences, and one that can have devastating effects on lives if it leads to a collision.