Frequently asked questions
- Surely cannabis makes me a better driver because it makes me more aware?
- Cannabis is a relaxant and may reduce a person's ability to react under pressure on the road. Cannabis also affects a driver's concentration and can make a person unsteady or give them blurred vision.
- After I have been drinking doesn’t cocaine sober me up and make me more alert for driving?
- Cocaine gives people a false sense of security and can falsely heighten a person's perception of light and sound - key factors on the road.
- I feel so good when I am driving on E. Doesn’t it make me a better driver?
- Ecstasy makes people think they're invincible. The feeling of being a better driver changes the way a person drives, making them a greater danger on the road.
- Driving on LSD makes a boring drive more exciting and appealing. What’s wrong with that?
- Driving under the influence of LSD is particularly dangerous because sensory perception is distorted. LSD causes the user to distrust their senses and can result in serious injury or even death.
- Isn’t it too difficult for the police to tell if I have taken heroin?
- The police are skilled at recognising signs of drug use. If you get caught while driving under the influence of drugs, the penalties are just as severe as those for drink-driving.
- Doesn't a little bit of coke when you've taken loads of speed take the edge off things?
- Combining drugs results in unpredictable effects. Taking two drugs with similar effects, such as cocaine and speed, means the effects reinforce each other.
- Does a line of coke in the pub after a couple more than you're supposed to make you in control when you drive?
- Mixing drugs with opposite effects such as alcohol and cocaine will have an uncertain effect on your brain leading to erratic and dangerous behaviour on the road.
- Do a couple of drags on a spliff or two whilst you're having some drinks with your mates in the pub sort you out to drive?
- Your tolerance for alcohol is reduced and the effects of cannabis significantly increased, meaning you have less control over the key decisions you make whilst driving.
- Doesn't speed make me more alert and awake when I'm driving?
- Speed reduces your attention span whilst driving making you less likely to react to potential dangers, or stop where necessary.
- What happens when you drive having taken medicinal drugs?
- Medicinal drugs can impair your driving so please read the instructions and consult your doctor before driving if you are taking over-the-counter or prescription medicines.
- Could I take a different drug to counteract the dilating effects of another?
- The size of pupils are just one of the ways that the Police use to spot whether someone has taken drugs and is unfit to drive. Taking more than one drug has very unpredictable and potentially dangerous results, with the effects of one drug wearing off quicker than the other.
- What is the law?
- It is an offence to be unfit to drive through drugs or alcohol. The police can compel suspects to take part in a field impairment assessment or to supply a specimen of blood to test for the presence of a drug at the police station.
Do you have any further questions not answered in the FAQ section above? Please email DfTpublicity@dft.gsi.gov.uk.