VOLUNTARY roadside drug tests are to get under way in the county as police try out new devices that will hopefully bring drug using drivers to justice.

Lancashire Constabulary is one of four forces chosen to conduct the tests which are to run over a three-week period.

It's hoped that the tests will lead to more arrests, though there are to be no prosecutions during the trial period.

As part of the trial, officers in the region will be testing new equipment to see whether they are acceptable to the public and the police on patrol.

One idea is to simply takes a sample of sweat from a driver's forehead and analyse the content, and another is to use a saliva testing kit.

The four main drug groups that officers will be looking for are cannabis, cocaine, opiates and amphetamine derivatives.

A police spokesman said: "Neither of the devices have yet been approved in this country and they are being tested for accuracy and reliability."

The move should eventually see drug-drivers tested as frequently and accurately as drunk-drivers to help reduce road accidents and deaths.

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