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Beware: 45 percent of private bus drivers are using drugs
Shocking disclosure: 25 percent of private bus drivers are often under the influence of cannabis and 20 percent take heroin
Drivers who use cannabis or ganja up to three hours before driving are more dangerous than those under the influence of alcohol — and the shocking revelation is that 25 percent of private bus drivers are often under the influence of cannabis and 20 percent take heroin, officials disclosed.
Teenage drivers are less experienced and are more likely than older drivers to underestimate or not recognize dangerous situations, they say.
Dr. Manoj Fernando, Secretary of the expert committee on tobacco, alcohol and narcotics substance use, said that when the lack of driving experience was combined with drug use, the results could be tragic. Vehicle crashes are the leading cause of deaths among young people aged between 16 and 19, he said.
Dr. Fernando said it was difficult to determine how specific drugs affected driving because people tended to mix various intoxicating substances, including alcohol.
He urged people who used drugs and alcohol to become aware of their social responsiblity that they should not get behind the wheel when they were intoxicated.
He said a drug would disrupt the driver’s skills and abilities when it went into the bloodstream and spread throughout the body system, affecting mainly the brain and the eyes. “Alcohol does not affect everyone equally – the intensity differs from person to person. It depends on factors such as age, body weight and gender; women are more affected,” Dr. Fernando said.
Police Traffic Chief Palitha Fernando said it was it hard to estimate how many crashes were caused by drugged drivers.
“Since an effective roadside test for body drug levels does not exist, Police do not usually test for drugs if drivers have exceeded the drug alcohol level,” he said.  
According to a survey done by the Lanka Private Bus Owners Association (LPBOA), 25 percent of the private bus drivers are known to drive after smoking ganja (cannabis) and 20 per cent after taking heroin.
“This is seriously affecting the private bus industry and is one of the reasons for the rising number of road tragedies,” LPBOA President Gemunu Wijeratne said.
He said the Cabinet was considering a plan to test whether drivers involved in accidents were under the influence of drugs.
“We want to try to improve safety on the roads and this is one way to do that because we will be able to monitor a larger number of drivers without wasting their time by getting false positive reports,”he said.
He said the LPBOA would propose that a fine equal or higher than the fine for drunk driving should be imposed on those driving under the influence of narcotics.