Government plans to amend the Road Traffic Act to criminalise driving under the influence of illicit drugs, broadening impaired driving offences beyond alcohol in a bid to improve road safety
BONGANI MALUNGA
The government is preparing to amend the Road Traffic Act to broaden impaired driving offences beyond alcohol, allowing authorities to prosecute motorists driving under the influence (DUI) of illicit drugs.
In many jurisdictions, laws are used to punish motorists whose judgment, reaction time, coordination, or concentration is affected, increasing the risk of road accidents.
In Botswana, the term is often associated mainly with driving under the influence of alcohol, but the proposed Road Traffic Act amendments would expand the scope to include drug-impaired driving as well.
Speaking on the sidelines of the opening of Parliament this week, the Assistant Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Keoagile Atamelang said the review is intended to address gaps in the current law, which primarily focuses on alcohol-related offences despite growing concerns over drug-impaired driving.
LAW REVIEW UNDERWAY
Atamelang said the revised legislation will recognise illicit drugs as traffic offences because they impair judgment, concentration and reaction time in much the same way as alcohol.
“We are working on amending the Road Traffic Act to make sure that all illicit drugs are recognised under traffic offences,” he said.
TOUGHER ENFORCEMENT
The amendments are expected to give law enforcement broader powers to prosecute drug-impaired drivers and strengthen road safety enforcement. While the government has not yet outlined the specific substances or penalties to be included, the reforms are aimed at reducing road crashes linked to impaired driving.
The proposed amendments will be tabled before Parliament once the legislative review is complete.