Petition Exemption from drug driving in the Crime and Courts Bill for patients taking prescription medication

The Crime and Courts Bill does make a statutory defence available for drivers who have taken a specified controlled drug in accordance with medical advice. However, in the initial wording of the Bill, the defence would not become available until a patient has already been put under the stress of arrest, further testing and their case has gone to the courts.

In addition, the burden of proof would rest with the patient to show they took the prescribed drug in accordance with any and all instructions which could be onerous for the patient to prove.

The wording of the Bill is therefore unsatisfactory and should be amended accordingly to provide an exemption for patients taking prescription medication.