A new public‐safety initiative has been launched by THINK! to warn young drivers of the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs.

Titled “Don’t Put Drugs in the Driving Seat”, the campaign aims to change attitudes, highlight harsh legal consequences, and prevent more drug-related collisions.

On a high

THINK! highlights a worrying upward trend in drug impairment on UK roads: between 2014 and 2023, the number of fatal collision cases in which deceased drivers tested positive for drugs rose by 70%.

However, the current drug-driving laws were introduced only in March 2015, providing clear levels of intoxication for assessment and prosecution.

Young male drivers are particularly over-represented: about 90% of drivers impaired by drugs in fatal crashes are male, with 40% aged 17–29. 

At the same time, enforcement is increasing.

During a national crackdown over the 2024–25 festive season, UK police forces conducted almost 60,000 roadside tests for drink and drugs, with 42.2% of drug-wipe tests returning positive. 

Risky mindsets 

Attitudes among younger motorists remain a major concern.

THINK! research suggests that 32% of young men think it’s okay to drive after taking drugs if they “feel fine”, while 46% say they know someone who drives under the influence. 

These misperceptions resonate with other studies: according to IAM RoadSmart, more than one in ten UK motorists admit to having driven within 24 hours of taking illegal drugs. 

As with intoxication by alcohol, those intoxicated are not in a fit state to assess their physical and mental abilities, hence the very real dangers.

Young people compound the problem by having lower levels of risk aversion due to the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex (PFC) not being fully developed before the age of 25.

Consequences

In addition to the physical and health risks, the legal consequences are severe.

Under current UK law, it’s an offence to drive with any of 17 controlled substances above specified levels in the blood, covering both illegal and prescription drugs.

The limits set out in the 2014 additions to the Road Safety Act 2014 are very low, even for medical drugs, in the name of road safety.

If caught, offenders face the same penalties as drink-driving: a minimum 12-month driving ban, a criminal record, an unlimited fine, and up to six months in prison.

Convicted drivers may also have an 11-year endorsement on their licence. 

Drug driving contributes significantly to serious and fatal crashes.

According to RoSPA, in 2022, drug impairment was a factor in 97 deaths, 926 serious injuries, and more than 1,600 slight injuries on UK roads.

Safety experts believe the rising rate of drug-related collisions demands urgent action.

Campaign reach

The THINK! The campaign uses dramatic visuals and storytelling to show how one poor decision can spiral into life-changing consequences.

A rotating camera shot inside a car seat symbolically captures how drug-driving can derail not just a night out, but a life. 

The campaign is being rolled out nationally across out-of-home advertising sites, social media, online video and digital audio — especially in areas where enforcement is likely to pick up, such as hotspots during police-led roadside testing.

THINK! has also made creative assets and a stakeholder toolkit freely available on its website.

Changing culture

Road-safety advocates say public education must go hand in hand with enforcement.

Executives at D.tec International — a supplier of roadside drug testing kits — warn that while police efforts like Operation Limit are critical, they must be paired with widespread awareness campaigns and faster, more efficient test-to-prosecution systems. 

 The campaign urges drivers not to gamble with their future.

Road safety professionals hope the campaign will spark a broader cultural shift, as has happened over the years of campaigning against drink-driving.

Drug driving needs to be considered as a social taboo, where drug driving is seen as dangerous, unacceptable, and entirely avoidable.