A roadside testing initiative designed to identify drug-impaired drivers has been extended to two additional areas in Scotland following a pilot project.
Police in North Aberdeenshire and East Ayrshire will now use portable testing devices—commonly referred to as “drugalysers”—to detect the presence of substances such as cannabis and cocaine in drivers. The technology provides preliminary results within minutes.
The expansion follows a six-month trial in Shetland, which began in December 2024. The pilot involved local officers—not just specialist road traffic units—using the kits during routine patrols. Following what police described as a successful trial, the approach is now being applied in areas where drug-driving detection rates have been notably high.
The drugalysers function by collecting a mouth swab, with a blue line indicating a positive result for one or more targeted substances. Drivers who test positive at the roadside are then arrested and taken to a police station for a blood test to confirm the results.
According to Police Scotland, the number of drug-driving offences detected through roadside testing increased by 60% in the last three years. In 2024, 2,971 offences were recorded, compared to 1,852 in 2022.
Inspector Steve Manson of Police Scotland, speaking from North Aberdeenshire, noted that drug-driving detections are approaching the levels of drink-driving and may soon exceed them. He added that drug impairment has been linked to fatal collisions in the region.
“We want to do anything we can to reduce the casualties and fatalities in our area,” he said.
The extended project will continue in North Aberdeenshire and East Ayrshire until the end of March 2026.
Scotland introduced drug-driving legislation in 2019, four years after similar laws came into force in England and Wales in 2015.
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