“ESSEX is facing a drug driving epidemic and it can have fatal consequences – if you do it, expect to be arrested”

That’s the message from our Chief Constable ahead of what we’re expecting to be a busy weekend before Christmas.

So far this year we’ve made more than 1,700 drug driving arrests, more than in any year since 2020 and almost double the number in each of the last two years.

In November alone we made 190 drug driving arrests, the most in a single month for five years, and this month looks like it will be even higher.

Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington said the force has no tolerance for those putting the safety of others at risk on our roads: “Drug driving is reckless and costs lives.

“Across the country one in three fatal collisions involves cocaine or cannabis while here in Essex it’s a major theme running through our most serious collisions.

“My officers and staff have been working relentlessly to target those who think it’s acceptable to drug drive and arrest them.

“We’re on course to make double the number of drug driving arrests this year than last year and double the number of drug driving arrests than drink driving arrests.

“Essex is experiencing an epidemic of drug driving and it can have fatal consequences.

“Fifty-eight people have lost their lives on Essex’s roads this year and we do not want to be knocking on your family’s door to tell them that you aren’t coming home.

“My message is clear and it is simple – if you drug drive, expect to be arrested.”

Around 250 people have been arrested during December as part of activity funded by, and as part of, the Safer Essex Roads Partnership.

Around 150 of those arrests have been on suspicion of drug driving.

During this month the SERP is supporting the national THINK! anti-drug driving campaign: Don’t put drugs in the driving seat – saferessexroads.org

The campaign targets young men as Department for Transport statistics show around 90 percent of drivers impaired by drugs in collisions are men and 40 percent are aged between 17 and 30.

Mr Harrington continued: “We’re expecting this weekend to be one of the busiest of the year. People will have been paid early before Christmas and many will have finished work for the festive period.

“So while you’re out celebrating the festive period, my officers will be visible, targeting those who pose a danger on our roads.

“I want you to enjoy themselves and have fun – and I want you to do it safely.

“That means looking after each other, it means getting a taxi home, it means saying to your mate who’s been drinking or taking drugs ‘put the car keys down’.

“If you’re arrested for drug driving you could lose your job. If you lose your job, you could lose your home and your family. Even worse, you could lose your life or kill someone else.

“And if you use cannabis for medicinal purposes, your driving could still be impaired and my officers will test that.

“You don’t want to spend Christmas in a custody cell. You don’t want to spend it in hospital.”

Mr Harrington also said that the force’s work to target drug driving was effective in tackling other forms of crime: “During two specific days of activity we found more than a third of people arrested for drug driving had a previous record, or wanted in connection with, other offences including domestic abuse.

“It seems clear that people who are comfortable breaking one kind of law and equally comfortable putting your safety at risk on the road.

“It also means that by targeting drug driving, we’re also able to disrupt other criminal activities.

“The use of drugs is a wider societal issue, and drug driving is just one part of that, which we’re working with our partners to tackle here in Essex.”