TEENAGE motorists in Lancashire are putting lives at risk by taking to the road under the influence of mind-altering drugs, a report reveals.

Now the Chief Constable has called for legislation to ease the process of convicting people caught driving under the influence of drugs.

A report to the County Council's Road Accident Prevention Federation General Purposes Committee says that while drink-driving has become socially unacceptable in recent years, the incidence of drug-driving has risen sharply.

And according to the report, young people are most likely to offend because to them "they have become a way of life."

Although the Road Traffic Act covers the offence of driving while unfit through drugs, convictions are currently uncertain because of the vast number of effects drugs induce.

Currently, a doctor must state that a person is unfit through drugs.

But often, particularly after an accident, the effects of shock can mask the effects of drugs.

The report says that Lancashire Chief Constable Pauline Clare feels pressure should be brought on changes in legislation to simplify the procedure to obtain a conviction.

Mrs Clare also calls for more publicity to be given the problem.

The committee will meet on Friday to consider asking the Police Federation to help in implementing the requests

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