Drug Drivers Testing Plea

Caitlin Walter

Sociology 202

September 7, 2006

Current event #4


Drug Drivers


Illegal drug usage is affecting people all over the world and is not affecting only those that use them, but is also endangering the people around it. Every seven out of 10 drivers in Ireland are committing the crime of driving while under the influence of illegal drugs.

The new survey from the Medical Bureau of Road Safety shows that “…70 per cent of people stopped by garda' for erratic driving are on drugs. These include illegal drugs like cannabis as well as prescription drugs like antidepressants. Drug driving is widespread and likely to be a factor in many accidents”(1). Fine Gael Senator Fergal Browne has initiated the idea to use roadside drug testing, which is already in use in Australia, to try and catch theses criminals that are violating the law and putting themselves and others in danger. Using a saliva swab, law enforcement can test for cannabis and amphetamines; the tests are accurate enough to reveal possible drug users and present enough evidence for them to be brought in for further testing. Fergal is encouraging the government to import this technology to Ireland to use on their roads.

I think this is an absolutely marvelous idea. I think the U.S. should consider it too. I can’t tell you how angry it makes me to hear about someone driving under the influence – whether it be alcohol or anything else. Because it’s like – if you want to be that stupid and do that to your own body, that’s your choice. But I’ll be danged if you’re going to get on the road and endanger my life or the lives of those I love. It’s not fair and it’s not right and it’s against the law – and it should be against the law. It makes me sick to hear about all the accidents that happen because somebody was stupid and careless, had too much to drink, then got behind the wheel, and ended up killing someone else. And it’s almost always the person who wasn’t under the influence who gets hurt the worst or killed because the alcohol/drug relaxes its user’s body and their body takes the impact better. That innocent person was just minding their own business and going about their daily lives and this other idiot took their life away because they were out being irresponsible. There is so much drug usage going on in our world and not nearly enough mechanisms to detect its use and put a stop to it. Being under the influence and driving is very rightfully a crime and I believe the punishment for it should be ridiculously awful.



Murray, Ken. "Drug Drivers Testing Plea." MGN Ltd. 27 Aug. 2006. 7 Sept. 2006