Concateno has called for national pilot and routine testing for drug driving after almost a quarter of a million more drivers are tested for alcohol than drugs.

The drug and alcohol testing company welcomed the latest police drink and drug driving figures as an indication that active roadside testing practices continue to serve as a deterrent to offenders.

However, the statistics highlight a huge difference between the numbers of tests conducted for drug driving compared to those for drink driving, say Concateno.

They also show that a proportionately higher number of drivers tested positive for drugs than for alcohol.

According to the figures from the annual Christmas drink and drug driving campaign (December 1 2009-January 1 2010) announced by the national Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO):

• Police conducted 223,423 breathalyser tests for alcohol – 3% were positive, failed or refused
• In comparison, just 489 field impairment tests were carried out for drug driving – with 18% arrested

Both drink and drug driving testing increased on the previous year, but while the total number of drink driving tests was up by almost 22%, this compares to less than a 2% increase in drug driving tests.

“There was a substantial gap between the numbers of tests done for drug driving compared to drink driving, and yet proportionally more people on our roads were found to be positive for drugs,” said Iain Forcer, Concateno’s spokesman on drug driving.