This month marks 10 years since Section 5A of the Road Traffic Act came into force – a landmark moment in the UK’s efforts to tackle drug driving. Introduced in March 2015, the law made it illegal to drive with specified controlled drugs in the body above set limits, finally bringing drug-driving legislation in line with drink-driving laws.
There has been real progress over the past decade. The police, supported by tools like DrugWipe, have worked tirelessly to identify and remove drug drivers from our roads. But as we reflect on how far we’ve come; we must also confront the major failings that persist, particularly the outdated requirement for evidential blood samples.
Chris Seaton, who supports D.tec’s campaign for roadside evidential saliva testing, appeared today on ITV’s Good Morning Britain alongside Linzi, whose story has shaken us all. Linzi’s brother was killed by a drug driver – a driver who had already been arrested just ten days earlier for another crash while over both alcohol and drug limits. He should never have been back on the road. But because of delays built into our current legal process, he was – and Linzi’s family are now left living with the consequences. Her strength in speaking out is helping to shine a spotlight on the real human cost of this broken system.
At the heart of the problem is the delay caused by the requirement for a blood sample after a positive roadside drug test. This process can take up to six months for lab results to return. During that time, offenders are typically still allowed to drive.
Chris Seaton commented: “We’ve made great progress over the last 10 years since drug-driving legislation came into force – but the system is still letting people down. Right now, someone can fail a roadside drug test, be arrested, and then legally get back behind the wheel for months while we wait for a blood test result. That delay isn’t just frustrating – it’s dangerous. In some cases, it’s deadly.”
“We’ve seen brave families like Linzi’s step forward after losing loved ones to drivers who should never have been on the road. Their stories are heartbreaking, and they shouldn’t have to fight for change.”
“We know what works. Other countries already use evidential saliva testing at the roadside – it’s accurate, fast, and fair. It could get dangerous drivers off the road within days, not months. The technology exists. What we need now is the political will to change the law.”
This approach is already used effectively in Australia and France. It provides secure, reliable results in days, not months – enabling prosecutions to proceed quickly, just as they do for drink driving. And it would take only a simple amendment to the Road Traffic Act to make this possible here in the UK.
With the Crime and Policing Bill currently before Parliament, there is another golden opportunity to make this change now. We are calling on ministers – and on long-standing road safety champions like Minister for Roads, Lilian Greenwood MP – to ensure this vital reform is not missed.
The statistics speak for themselves:
• 27,000 people suffered life-changing injuries on UK roads in 2023 – that’s 75 people affected every day
• 1,640 people died on UK roads in 2023
• 1 in 5 of those deaths involved drugs
• Drug-driving deaths are now on par with alcohol-related fatalities – and likely underreported
This is a national emergency. The technology is here. The evidence is clear. The law simply needs to catch up.
We are also urging the public to support Tim’s Law – a petition created by Linzi’s family, which calls for drivers arrested on suspicion of causing death or serious injury while under the influence to be remanded in custody until trial. It is a sensible, compassionate change that could prevent further tragedy.
Sign the petition here: change.org/tims-law