Five hundred arrested by West Mercia Police for drug-driving

Police carried out a total of 892 tests on motorists during the 13 months up until April this year, with 495 of them proving to be positive.

The most common drug was found to be cannabis, with 384 drivers testing positive. A further 111 drivers were found to be under the influence of cocaine.

West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion said the figures showed how seriously the force was taking the problem.

Mr Campion, who was elected as commissioner last month, said: "I think it is good that society is realising the harm that drug-driving can cause.

"It's really good to see people are being caught for these offences.

"It shows how society has progressed, drink-driving is now seen as anti-social and not acceptable, and we are now seeing that drug-driving is not a crime without consequences either.

"We need to make sure the law is firm and that where people do break it they will be caught."

The figures come after new laws came into force in March last year to crack down on motorists who drive under the influence of drugs.

Across England and Wales a total of 7,796 people were arrested on suspicion of drug-driving between March 2015 and April this year.

In West Mercia the number of arrests peaked in December, when 91 drivers were arrested, with a further 51 arrests in January.

The Metropolitan Police made the most arrests with 1,636 drivers apprehended. The capital's force was followed by Greater Manchester Police with 573, and Cheshire Police with 546.

Drivers can be prosecuted if they are caught exceeding limits which were laid down for eight illegal drugs and eight prescription drugs.

The levels for the illegal drugs, which include heroin, cocaine and cannabis, virtually mean there is zero tolerance for drivers caught with these substances in their system.

With the introduction of the new law, police were issued with testing kits.

Officers can use use "drugalysers" to screen for cannabis and cocaine at the roadside and they can test for other drugs at a police station, even if a driver passes the roadside check.

The legislation was introduced to run in conjunction with a previously existing law which made it illegal to drive when impaired by any drug.

For some forces the introduction of the test and the legislation has had a huge impact on the number of arrests.

South Yorkshire Police drug driving-related arrests went from 13 in the year the test was introduced to 456 the following year.

Gloucestershire chief constable Suzette Davenport, the roads policing lead for the National Police Chiefs' Council, said: "The drug testing kit and the legislation are immensely helpful and have provided the operational officer with the tools necessary to help catch those who take the risk of drug-driving.

"People who previously got away with driving under the influence of controlled drugs are now being detected and prosecuted."