DRUG-driving could soon become a bigger problem on Jersey’s roads than drink-driving, the Island’s police chief has warned.
Robin Smith told the JEP that the Island will “probably see more drug-driving” in a year’s time – though he added that the force was “confident” new legislation to help it crack down on the “increasing” trend would be implemented while the next government is in power.
He made the comments just a few days after issuing an urgent warning about the dangers of drink-driving, following the conviction of nine defendants in drink-driving cases in a single week.
“One of the patterns we’re seeing increasingly now is drug-driving, as opposed to drink-driving,” he said, adding that the trend was already becoming “particularly” visible in the UK.
In December, Merseyside police stated that 211 drug-driving arrests had been made since its Operation Limit campaign began at the start of that month, while there had been 57 drink-driving arrests in the same period.
Speaking to a Scrutiny panel earlier this year, Infrastructure Minister Andy Jehan pointed to cannabis/THC as presenting a particular challenge which had been highlighted by police “both in terms of frequency and the complexity of securing successful prosecutions”.
He contended that: “The absence of legally defined limits for THC in the current legislation has made it difficult to progress cases through Jersey’s justice system.”
Mr Jehan made the comments in a letter to the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Scrutiny Panel, which had been examining his proposals to introduce legally defined drug-concentration limits for drivers and enable the police to conduct roadside drugs testing.
The proposition was withdrawn in March, with the minister citing “issues which we need to engage on further to support the understanding of what is being proposed”.
Noting “quite significant increases in drug driving”, Mr Smith said: “We’ve met with government to talk about what we might need to do there in terms of legislation and also roadside screening, to work out how we’re going to do that.
“We are confident we’ll be doing that when the new government is installed.
“We are lucky to enjoy a very good relationship with I&E [Infrastructure and Environment]. They are very keen to keep Islanders safe, as much as we are.”
Mr Smith also estimated that, based on the UK trends, “in a year’s time we’ll probably see more drug driving than we do drink driving”.
Commenting on the potential factors involved, he said: “I suspect it’s more accessible, it could be related to the cost of drinking alcohol, to the amount of drugs that might be available.”
