Drug driving epidemic exposed: reoffending rates 5 times higher than drink driving
While the number of people caught drug driving is less than half than that of drink drivers, reoffending is significantly higher
Stricter sentencing and a national rehabilitation scheme have been touted as solutions to an “under-the-radar” epidemic after it was found that those caught drug driving are five times more likely to reoffend than drunk drivers.
A Freedom of Information request submitted by the RAC uncovered that over the 11 years up to July 2025, 12,391 drivers were caught drug driving more than three times in the UK. This dwarfs the 2,553 drivers convicted of drink driving three times or more in the same period, with more than 50 individuals accumulating over 10 endorsements each.
Senior policy officer at the RAC, Rod Dennis, pointed out: “While it’s drink-driving that tends to attract most of the headlines, these figures show just how much of a problem the more under-the-radar issue of drug-driving is becoming.”
While drug driving is certainly a growing issue, it remains far less common than drink driving; between July 2014 and 2025, almost 100,000 people were convicted of drug driving, compared with just over 220,000 caught under the influence of alcohol when behind the wheel.
Yet, with the rate of reoffending for drug driving much higher than for drink driving, this has prompted calls for tougher legislation to act as a deterrent.
“Drug-driving reoffending rates dwarf those of drink-driving, which suggests current penalties aren’t effective in preventing some drug drivers from repeating their crimes and putting everyone at risk,” said Dennis.
“Introducing a national drug-driving rehabilitation scheme – similar to what is in place for drink driving – could also help drive down reoffending. Other countries such as Australia already routinely use roadside saliva testing of suspected drug-drivers, and we urgently need a similar system in the UK.”
Currently, the penalty for drug driving is a minimum 12-month driving ban (36 months if convicted twice or more within three years), an unlimited fine and up to six months in prison – identical to that of drink-driving.
Earlier this year, the Government announced its new Road Safety Strategy, in which it promised reviews on sentencing for drink and drug driving, plus a consultation on the usage of alcohol interlocks to prevent drink-drive reoffending.
The Department for Transport said it plans to introduce “strong new powers to suspend driving licences for drug drivers, new roadside tests and tougher, swifter consequences when we catch them”.
“For too long, our enforcement system has struggled to keep pace with the scale of this problem.But those who do drugs and get behind the wheel will no longer go unpunished,” said a Government spokesperson.
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