December 30, 2001

By David Price

BBC News 

BBC bosses have given the go ahead for a motorist to smoke an illegal cannabis joint then get behind the wheel of a car.

The test was done as part of a documentary for BBC Radio Five Live highlighting the growing dangers of motorists driving while under the influence of illicit drugs. A woman in her thirties, Fiona (not her real name), volunteered to take part in the experiment.

Fiona admitted to being a casual cannabis smoker but had never taken drugs and driven before.

She was taken to the track in the East Midlands where a specialist firm had set up a series of tests and state of the art satellite monitoring equipment.

Speed, acceleration, reflex and perception were measured by laser beam and results were recorded onto a computer.

A series of cones 20 feet apart were put on the track and she was asked to weave between them in a controlled manner at a speed she thought safe.

She carried out the test five times to measure her best time before moving onto the brake test.

She was asked to accelerate up to 70 miles per hour on a straight section of track and hold that speed for a short distance.

A flash of light in the distance was the signal to brake hard.

The time and distance she took to come to a halt were then recorded.

After completing the tests, Fiona smoked a cannabis cigarette which she provided.

Twenty minutes after finishing the joint she was asked how she felt.

Fiona said she felt "stoned" but was happy to resume testing.

She turned on the ignition of the 2-litre engine and returned to the slalom test.

To her horror, of the six cones she had to drive through she hit two and then ran over the last, which became trapped beneath the car wheels.

She competently completed four more slalom tests but at a slower speed.

Out of five brake tests, Fiona accelerated to 70 miles per hour but failed to keep driving at a steady speed.

Her worst test showed that she was almost a second slower and took an extra 45 feet to stop.

On one test she failed completely to see the flashing light that was the signal to begin braking.

Significantly altered

Timing expert, Mark Hargreaves who monitored all the tests said, "If she had been on a road those three cones she hit could have been three people. Her reaction times were significantly altered."

In the drug impairment test Fiona had to :

Walk nine steps heel to toe in a straight line, then turn and repeat. Result: She stumbled off the line on the third step.

Close her eyes, stretch both arms out in front and on a command touch her nose with the index finger of either her left or right hand. Result: On command of 'left' she paused to work out which was her left then touched her cheek.

Stand on one leg with other out in front and count to 30. Result: She stumbled before reaching five but insisted her balance was poor at the best of times.

Hold her head back with eyes closed and count thirty seconds opening her eyes when finished. Result: At 16 seconds she thought she had had her eyes closed for 30.

If she had been on a road those three cones she hit could have been three people. Her reaction times were significantly altered. -- Monitoring expert

Afterwards Fiona said: "When I was behind the wheel I felt more confident after smoking the joint.

"I was really shocked when I hit the cones. I hadn't even realised I had hit the first one.

"It was only when I got out that the tester told me. Smoking and driving is definitely not for me and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone else."

Green light

All Out Productions' executive producer, David Cook consulted at length with Radio Five executives who gave the green light to the experiment.

Mr Cook said afterwards: "We appreciate that this is a somewhat controversial section to the documentary but it was without doubt in the public interest.

"There is a growing and disturbing trend among young people to mix drugs and driving. It can be fatal. Too many people think that drugs do not affect their driving.

"We were confident that the tests were carried out in a controlled and safe environment.

"We had the use of a private track, there was no other traffic, and every stage was carefully monitored."

"I think the results clearly show that just one joint can seriously impair a person's driving efficiency.

"If Fiona was on a road with all the attending hazards of city driving, an accident could easily have happened."

Figures from the Department of Transport show that in Britain, one person in five killed on the road had traces of drugs in their bloodstream.

A report by the Institute of Human Psychopharmacology suggested there is an annual death toll of 4,500 throughout the European Union.

And at one Scottish rave nightclub, 90% of drivers leaving at the end of the night drove home after taking drugs.

Nearly one third said they believed that the drugs did not affect their driving.

These worrying statistics come as Britain enters festive party mode.

Danger areas include the more remote areas of the UK where public transport is scarce and getting to parties involves driving.