A quarter of all drivers and motorbike riders killed on Northern Ireland's roads last year were positive when tested for drugs, it was disclosed today.
Drugs-driving is an increasing menace, with the number of detections more than doubling in the last six years. Cannabis is the drug most commonly found.
The details were released as the Department of Environment and PSNI launched an anti-drugs driving safety campaign with the slogan: "You'll Get Smashed If You Drive On Drugs."
Ms Angela Smith, the Minister responsible for the Department of Environment, said: "Drugs-driving is widespread throughout Northern Ireland. Illegal and prescription drugs can impair judgment, driving and ultimately kill."
Launching the campaign at a popular nightclub in Belfast, she said its aim was to "advise everyone that drugs-driving is an emerging problem in Northern Ireland; that the police will now be actively carrying out field impairment tests on drivers whom they suspect are driving under the influence of drugs".
She warned that those found guilty would be fined, disqualified from driving or imprisoned.
Central to the awareness campaign is a TV commercial called Smashed. It portrays the tests which police will carry out at the roadside to detect both illegal "recreational" drugs and prescription drugs, and the possible consequences if driving while impaired by drugs.
Chief Insp Brian Kee, deputy head of the PSNI road-policing development branch, said: "Drugs-driving is a growing threat to road safety. In 1997 we made 39 detections for drugs driving. Last year there were 82."
He said it was important to stress that somebody's ability to drive may be equally impaired by legal drugs prescribed by their doctor or those bought over the counter. "These can be of great benefit to people's health, but it is important to read the instructions carefully."
The extent of the drugs problem was disclosed by police figures which show that since the the start of 2001 tests have been carried out on the bodies of 187 dead drivers and riders, and 44 tested positive for drugs.