After the summer the traffic police will also carry out drug tests on drivers, apart from breath alcohol tests, in order to detect narcotic substances such as cannabis, heroin, cocaine, amphetamines, methamphetamine and morphine.
Drug tests are widespread in countries of Europe, however in Greece checking was taking place only after fatal traffic accidents inside the hospital.
The police officer will ask the driver to place for a few seconds a special swab in the mouth. The sample is inserted into the device and very soon it is activated in case of presence of one of the substances. If the indication is positive, the driver will be led to the hospital for blood taking and for the result to be confirmed, a process which constitutes the legally strong proof.
Drug tests are widespread in countries of Europe, however in Greece checking was taking place only after fatal traffic accidents inside the hospital.
The reliability of the drug detection tests is about 95% to 99%, while they will be carried out mainly on drivers who have already come out negative in a breath alcohol test, however they create suspicions to traffic police officers because of suspicious behaviours and movements.
Although in the case of the breath alcohol test there is escalation of the penalty depending on the quantity of alcohol in the blood, in the case of the drug test the violation is treated from the beginning as a criminal offence. This means that once the narcotic substance is detected during the test to which drivers will be subjected, the penalty will be put into effect.
Sources: Εφημερίδα των Συντακτών, LIFO
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