New research carried out by More Than, the online car insurance firm, has shown that one-in-five young drivers would take to the road while under the influence of drugs.
Though the methods for detecting it seem antiquated next to a breathalyser (police must rely on simple balance exercises to catch offenders) and it occupies a far smaller space in the public consciousness, More Than is not alone in calling drug driving "one of the most serious sources of emerging risk on Britain's roads."
"It's clear that roadside 'drugalyser' tests are desperately needed," said Steve Editor, group editor for the driving magazine What Car? Such systems do exist, and are in use by police forces in Germany, Switzerland and Australia, among other countries - but not in the UK.
"I agree that drug driving is an emerging problem on British roads, and that it could one day become as serious as drink driving if nothing is done to improve detection and awareness," said Mike Page, spokesman for the online car insurance specialists at Hoot Car Insurance Services.
"It's a nightmare for young driver car insurance companies as most cases involve our customers," he added.
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