“That’s why we continue to work as a partner of Safer Essex Roads Partnership (SERP) to raise awareness of the issue to try and educate people on drug driving and it’s consequences.
“Because at the end of the day, if you drug-drive you could lose your licence and that could mean you can’t work so you could lose your job. If you lose your job, you might not be able to pay your bills - so you might lose your home.
“Even worse, you could kill someone. Is the high worth the low?
The SERP is made up of three local authority areas of Essex County Council, Southend-on-Sea Borough Council and Thurrock Council to provide a road safety service across Greater Essex.
Almost 300 arrested in Xmas drink and drug driving crackdown in Essex ALMOST 300 people were arrested as part of a crackdown on drink and drug driving over Christmas and New Year. Last month Essex Police warned Christmas revellers that their cells would be open 24/7 for the most dangerous drivers even if pubs were closing early due to Covid restrictions. The force warned its Christmas anti-drink and drug driving campaign would see officers working around the clock. Between December 1 and January 2, officers made 139 drug driving arrests, 118 drink driving arrests, and 26 failing to provide a specimen arrests – a total of 283. Chief Insp Emma Bullock, head of roads policing, said: “Sadly we continue to see people their safety and those of other road users at risk.
In Kent, 3,844 people killed or seriously injured on roads between 2015 and 2019
Essex and Hampshire followed closely behind with 3,770 and 3,561 respectively
Research ranks regions by local authority with the highest number of casualties
It comes as Road Safety Foundation calls on Government to invest £1.2billion in UK roads in order to prevent further casualties and save money in the long-term
She said: “For some time we’ve seen more drug driving arrests than drink driving arrests and it’s really important we continue to raise awareness of the issue while taking drug drivers of the road.
“Throughout this year, whether we’ve been under national restrictions or not, we continue to see people drug driving.
“This month we’ll be particularly targeting the most dangerous drivers – those repeat offenders who drive while disqualified.
“We’re still finding that many people don’t realise that drugs can still be in your system days after last taking them and if you’re caught you could lose your licence, your job, and even your home.”