Episode Details

New figures from Police Scotland reveal drug driving has surpassed alcohol as the top danger on the roads, with officers catching far more people impaired by drugs during their annual holiday crackdown. Despite running five times more breath tests than drug swabs, they caught 79 more people over the drug limit than the alcohol limit. The numbers have sparked outrage from politicians, with calls for increased funding for policing and labs. Road data shows drugs played a role in at least 104 deaths between January 2021 and December 2022. Forensic services are overwhelmed, processing 23% above their monthly cap. Police are training 300 extra frontline officers to handle drug tests, potentially sending up to 7,000 samples a year at a cost of over £1.4 million. The Scottish government points to record police funding, but officials say long-term lab expansions could take years. Police vow to target impaired drivers all year.

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