Dutch police see sharp rise in drivers testing positive for drugs
The number of motorists caught driving under the influence of drugs in the Netherlands has increased by more than a third in a single year, according to new police data. Between January and May, officers recorded over 11,000 positive roadside drug tests, up from fewer than 8,500 in the same period last year, AD reports. The rise comes even before the start of the busy summer festival season.
Police spokespersons said the cause of the surge remains unclear. “Possibly this is due to more checks, but I see no specific reason for that,” an official stated.
Previously, most impaired drivers tested positive only for alcohol. Now, drug-related offenses—sometimes combined with alcohol—form the majority. Saliva tests are typically used to detect drugs, followed by confirmatory blood analysis.
Steven Biemans, a drug research specialist at the Trimbos Instituut, described two main groups of drug users who drive. “On one hand, there are people who know they are under the influence but believe they can still drive well. On the other hand, there are people who think they are no longer affected because they are no longer high,” he told AD.
Biemans warned that many drivers underestimate how long drugs impair their abilities. “There is a difference between the ‘positive desired effects’ of drug use and being under the influence. The latter lasts much longer.”
Testing devices used by police are calibrated to detect these extended effects. A single dose of ecstasy can result in a positive test for up to 40 hours, while multiple doses can be detected for as long as two and a half days. For frequent cannabis users, driving should be avoided for at least a day.
Police emphasized that the strict testing approach is not meant to inconvenience drivers. “Without realizing it, you are truly less alert all that time,” Biemans told AD. Such impairment has caused fatal accidents in the past.
Last year, TeamAlert surveyed young people and found that nine in ten disapproved of driving under the influence of drugs. However, many also believed myths that ecstasy makes drivers more alert and cannabis calms them, misconceptions Biemans rejected outright.
The risks increase dramatically when drugs and alcohol are combined. “The chance of an accident is then two hundred times higher than for someone who drives sober,” Saar Hadders, a researcher at TeamAlert, told AD.
Hadders noted that young people often take these risks because their brains are not yet fully developed. “The area that thinks about long-term consequences is not mature. For them, ‘getting home quickly’ still weighs more heavily,” she said. Group pressure also plays a role, as many feel obligated to drive friends home regardless of substance use.
Next month, TeamAlert will launch a campaign aimed at making young drivers aware of these dangers. The message is clear: “Driving sober is normal.”
Biemans advised users to find out how long substances will affect them before getting behind the wheel. “Call the Trimbos Instituut’s drug info line in advance, because on weekends we are no longer available,” he told AD.
He also recommended appointing a designated driver—a so-called “drugs bob.” While this person is permitted up to two small glasses of alcohol, Biemans said it is better to avoid drinking altogether. Additional factors, such as sleep deprivation during multi-day festivals, can further impair driving ability. “Make sure the bob gets enough rest,” he said.
