Orpington MP Jo Johnson supports crackdown on drug driving (From News Shopper)

Orpington MP Jo Johnson supports crackdown on drug driving

8:57am Tuesday 11th October 2011 in News By Rachel Conner

Orpington MP Jo Johnson has come out in support of a crack down on drug drivers following the death of a 14-year-old Biggin Hill schoolgirl.

More than 10,000 people have given their support to a campaign which was launched after Lillian Groves was knocked down and killed while playing outside her home in June 2010 by a speeding driver who had taken cannabis.

Campaigners want “Lillian’s Law” to be introduced, which calls for the Government to introduce roadside drug testing devices, similar to breathalysers, to make driving under the influence of drugs illegal, and to impose tougher sentences on those found guilty of drug-driving.

Orpington MP Jo Johnson said:“Currently the level of drug driving in the UK is too high and broadly speaking I am supportive of attempts to crack down on it.

“I agree with the general push of Lillian’s Law to take drug driving as seriously as it does drink driving.

“I think we can probably do more to make sure as much is known about driving under the influence of cannabis as drink.”

The school girl attended Charles Darwin School in Biggin Hill until February 2010 and was well known in the area.

Lillian’s aunt, Michaela Groves said: “We’re doing the campaign out of frustration with the Government going backwards and forwards on the issue.

“It’s too late for us as a family but every day that goes on it happens to someone else, somebody loses a mother or a child or an aunt. At the minute there’s no justice.”

John Page, 36, from New Addington, was convicted of causing her death but was sentenced to just eight months in prison, despite police finding a half-smoked joint on the dashboard.

When Page was tested for cannabis nine hours after he was arrested there were traces in his system, but not enough to charge him with the more serious offence of causing death by careless driving while under the influence of drugs, which can lead to a maximum 14-year sentence.

Click here to sign the e-petition supporting "Lillian’s Law"

Current law on drug driving

It is currently an offence to drive while "unfit through drugs", but proving impairment can be difficult.

Unlike with testing for alcohol, a "drugalyser" device is yet to be approved by the Government and there is no legal limit for taking drugs.

Currently drug driving is treated the same way as drink driving was prior to the introduction of the breathalyser in the 1960s, through a series of roadside tests such as walking and turning, standing on one leg and pupil dilation test.