Bitesize: The psychology of drug driving

At our latest Bitesize session, Associate Director Mikaela Green was joined by Steve Bucksey of Sussex Police for a fast‑paced exploration of the growing issue of drug driving in the UK. Together, they unpacked the cultural, psychological and behavioural factors that shape this high‑risk behaviour and what communicators can do to challenge it.  

A changing picture of risk 

Steve opened with a policing perspective, sharing the scale of the problem seen on UK roads. During December 2024’s national Operation Limit, 42% of roadside drug wipes returned positive results, contributing to nearly 7,000 drug and drink‑driving arrests. Locally in Sussex, similar patterns emerged. 

He highlighted a critical issue: perception beats reality. Many drivers believe they are unlikely to be stopped, misunderstand their own impairment and underestimate the consequences. This insight underpins Sussex Police’s recent campaign, Think Again, developed with Claremont to challenge false assumptions and increase perceptions of enforcement and relevance.  

Understanding the drug driver 

Mikaela then explored the psychology behind drug driving, drawing on Claremont’s research and wider behavioural literature. We heard that drug drivers in Britain are overwhelmingly male, in their early 20 to early 30s, and most typically driving in evenings or in the nighttime on weekends. Most often they are using cannabis, followed by cocaine, although this is likely massively skewed by what police can test for roadside.  

But beyond demographics, the psychological drivers are crucial. Mikaela outlined a set of cognitive biases that fuel the behaviour, including: 

• Overconfidence bias — “I’m a better‑than‑average driver.” 

• Optimism bias — “Nothing bad will happen to me.” 

• Illusion of control — “I’ll just drive carefully; I’ll be fine.” 

• Confirmation bias — Every successful trip reinforces the belief they’re safe.  

Risk‑taking traits, sensation‑seeking and a strong belief that enforcement is unlikely create a powerful mental loop: I’ve done it before and nothing happened, so I can do it again. 

Mikaela also challenged common myths, such as the idea that drug driving is mostly urban, that next‑day impairment isn’t real, or that cannabis makes some people “better” drivers, showing how misconceptions directly shape dangerous decisions.  

What effective comms must do 

For organisations facing rising drug‑driving concerns, Mikaela recommended: 

1. Start with local data — patterns vary county by county, don’t rely on national stats alone. 
2. Speak directly with local drug drivers to uncover area‑specific insights. 
3. Focus on short‑term consequences that feel real to the audience. 
4. Boost perceptions of enforcement through smart messaging and media. 
5. Avoid overcrowding campaigns with technical detail about roadside testing — most high-risk drivers already know that it exists.  

Looking ahead 

With major events such as the FIFA World Cup approaching and night‑time screenings expected to raise risk levels, both Steve and Mikaela emphasised the importance of timely, locally relevant and behaviourally informed communications. The World Cup poses a huge challenge for safety practitioners, but also an opportunity to bring drug driving to the forefront of the agenda.  

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