Actress Lindsay Lohan's fingernails are shown as she addresses the court before Judge Marsha Revel ruled that Lohan had violated her probation on a 2007 drunken driving charge and sentenced the troubled actress to 90 days in jail in Beverly Hills, Ca
IN PHOTO: Actress Lindsay Lohan's fingernails are shown as she addresses the court before Judge Marsha Revel ruled that Lohan had violated her probation on a 2007 drunken driving charge and sentenced the troubled actress to 90 days in jail in Beverly Hills, California July 6, 2010. The judge ordered Lohan to surrender to authorities and begin her sentence on July 20, 2010. Photo taken July 6, 2010. Reuters/David McNew

Britain has tightened the rules on motorists who drive under the influence of drugs. The Department of Transport has deployed "drugalaysers" on road side and has started clamping tougher penalties on such offenders. Under the new laws, enforced from March 2, drivers will be prosecuted if they are found exceeding the legal limits for eight illegal drugs and eight prescription drugs.

Police are using "drugalysers" to screen cannabis and cocaine at the roadside, and will also detect traces of other drugs including LSD, ketamine and heroin. The DoT is planning to roll out more comprehensive roadside drugalysers at a later date. People using prescription drugs, including morphine and methadone will not be penalised if the levels are below the prescribed limits under the new law, reports AFP.

However, in the case of illegal drugs, even a small amount can lead to prosecution. The new law will complement the existing rules that make driving under the influence of any drug, an offence.

Penalties

The conviction for drug-driving can lead to a minimum one-year driving ban, a fine up to £5,000 ($7,700, 6,860 euros), six months of prison term and a criminal record, the DoT said. The offender's driving licence will also carry the record of drug-driving conviction for 11 years.

Welcoming the new rules, David Taylor, professor of psychopharmacology at Kings College, London and a member of the DoT’s advisory panel on drug driving, said the rules would work as a stronger deterrent and make the prosecutions much easier. Speaking on Radio 4, he said: "It's a zero-tolerance approach”, reports BBC.

The law has not changed much on the situation for people using prescription drugs, he said, "but the onus is on the individual to assure themselves that their driving ability is not impaired.” He also advised drivers taking prescription drugs, to carry proof so they could produce it, if needed.

Campaign of Parents

The changes in law were welcomed by the campaigning mother of a 14-year-old girl, who was killed by a speeding driver, under the influence of cannabis, in London. Lillian Groves died outside her home in New Addington, London in June 2010. The driver was prosecuted and he got a an eight-month jail sentence.

"We have fought tirelessly since losing Lillian, and our determination has brought about this significant change," said Lillian's mother, Natasha Groves. She told the BBC that drug driving is a much bigger problem than people realised because most of the time, offenders got away with it. The Government has also launched a road safety campaign named “THINK” to coincide with the new law.

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