Stricter penalties and more tools to be able to detect affected drivers in traffic - this is what police in the Bergslagen region have called for this week when we at SVT Dalarna, Örebro and Värmland focused on drug and alcohol driving.

We have asked the Minister of Justice Morgan Johansson (S) for an interview to follow up on how things are going, but instead we have received a written answer:

“The government has appointed several investigations to look at the penalty scale for grossly illegal driving, drunk driving and more effective controls of commercial traffic.

The latter will analyze the conditions for introducing screening tests in traffic to find people who are driving under the influence of drugs. "

Bills are submitted

The investigation into the penalty scale was completed in November 2019 and the mandatory consultation round has ended.

The matter is now being prepared at the Government Offices so that a bill on increased penalties can be presented.

"The government will propose stricter legislation during the year," the Minister of Justice wrote.

Drug testing can be simplified

Detecting and prosecuting drug-addicted drivers is quite complicated today.

There is no equivalent to a breath test for alcohol that can reveal the effects of drugs, but the police must first do a so-called eye test on a driver who is suspected of being under the influence of drugs.

If the suspects remain even after that, they may take the person to hospital for a blood test, which in itself usually takes a few days to analyze.

In our neighboring countries Norway, Finland and Denmark, the police have the opportunity to take saliva samples directly on the road to check for possible drug effects.

In the clip, you hear how much the penalty is proposed to be increased for drunk drivers in traffic.

SVT reported · Influenced drivers on our roads - what have you been through?

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29 Mar06.47

Good morning!

This week, SVT in Örebro, Värmland and Dalarna draws attention to the problems with drug driving and drunk driving on the roads in the Bergslagen police area.



Have you been through something you want to tell?

Then feel free to write about this in our chat.



Do you want a reporter to contact you?

Then also write in our form.

SVT · Anna Wikman

3 tim10.13

Now we end this chat, which means that you can no longer make any posts.

Thank you for your commitment and for your posts!

SVT · Jennie Wahlgren

20 tim16.49

Get your driver's license DIRECTLY for drug and alcohol duties !!!

Lisa

30 mar08.05

To drive drunk is to drive around with a murder weapon in your hand.

In addition to this, be "forgiven" for being an alcoholic, regardless of whether you have injured or killed a person.

Absurd !!

Would appreciate if the police force pushed our politicians to change the law.

It is you who face reality and see what these drunk drivers inflict on other people for life damage.

Marie Danielsson

30 mar08.05

I drive a car every day without a driver's license and with drugs in my body.

I would like to say that I drive better than many others do.

I blink, I respect the right rule, etc.

Anna w

30 mar07.19

This has been a problem for a long time.

What most people do not understand when it comes to crime is that it is not the police who decide who is detained or what punishment they receive.

It is politicians who must be held accountable.

Police officers know exactly who is driving regularly drunk.

The only thing they can do is wait for an accident to happen.

How does it really feel as a police officer?

This is a major rural problem, which is probably the reason why Stockholmers living in Stockholm do not do more about it.

I recommend the P1 documentary Death on the Road.

P

30 Mar06.14

I drive back and forth between Värmland and Stockholm every week and see a huge number of people who make crazy overtaking, have a jerky pace, at often far too high speeds.

In a few years, truck convoys have increased significantly.

Lacks more traffic police, controls and stricter legislation for road filling of various kinds.

Berit

29 mar22.52

One can not really understand how we can have such incredibly low penalties for things like this.

There is something that is COMPLETELY wrong with the punishment.

You see the culprits live freely in the city again after a very short time locked up and live on as before they got stuck.

How many will be allowed to drive to death?


Please do something

SN

29 mar21.11

A drug addict sitting inside can not kill anyone, much longer prison sentence please!

Nisse

29 Mar20.21

The situation is fantastic compared to 40 years ago

alexander