CC Shiner calls for roadside drink and drug disqualifications

Chief Constable Jo Shiner, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) lead for roads policing, is calling for new powers to allow officers to disqualify drink or drug-drivers at the roadside. Reported by Sky News, she said the new powers would allow police to take drivers who pose a risk to others off the road “immediately”.

Currently, drivers charged with drug or drink-driving offences are banned following a sentencing hearing at a magistrates’ court. However, these hearings can take weeks to get to court – and, until then, drivers are allowed to get back behind the wheel.

CC Shiner said: “The ability for us to be able to disqualify people either for drink or drug-driving by the roadside would mean that we can immediately take that risk off the road. And those people can’t be behind the wheel, particularly if they’ve blown well over the legal limit.”

Under the current system, drivers are checked using a road-side test, which, if positive, is followed by a confirmatory test at a police station. If that second test comes back positive, they are charged and sent to court.