Police have caught 60 drivers under the influence of illegal substances in Iceland this June, averaging two every day and 210 since the beginning of the year. New equipment makes it easier for police to determine whether drivers have taken drugs.
“Police has much more powerful equipment to measure drugs in drivers and supervision has also been tightened,” Einar Magnús Magnússon, the information officer at the Road Traffic Directorate told Morgunbladid.
“The new regulations on traffic have no room for tolerance. If someone is caught driving under the influence of illegal substances he or she loses his license no matter how much influence he or she is under,” Magnússon explained.
Speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs were the main causes of the 14 fatal traffic accidents that occurred last year.
“Fortunately the police have the ability to put an end to this horrid situation. People thought it was easier to get away with driving under the influence of drugs than under the influence of alcohol, but with modern technology it can be determined at the scene,” Magnússon said.
