The UK Department of Transport has launched the THINK! campaign – its first national television campaign to deal with drug driving.

The £2.3m campaign is to send across the message that the people who drive under the influence of drugs can and will be caught and punished.

The campaign is a result of a survey in January this year that showed 10% of young male drivers aged 18 – 29 admitting to indulging in drug driving.

The people pulled up for drug driving face the same criminal charges as drunk drivers, which is a minimum of 12 months banned from driving, a criminal record and a large fine.

The department hopes that through this campaign, people receive the message that drug driving is a dangerous practice.

Transport Secretary Andrew Adonis said that government campaigns over the past 40 years have succeeded in making drink driving socially unacceptable and cutting the number of people killed in drink drive accidents by nearly three quarters.

The new campaign includes print, poster and on-line advertising as well as music festival and radio sponsorship.