Police have made their first arrest of a driver suspected to be under the influence of an illegal drug since a drug-driving law came into effect last week.
The driver, 33, was also the first person in the city to be subject to a new five-part impairment test to see whether he was influenced by drugs.
The man was arrested in Aberdeen after his delivery van slammed into two stationary vehicles outside Hoi Fai Mansion on Aberdeen Main Road at about 11.30pm on Thursday.
Officers seized a small amount of what was believed to be ketamine in the van. No passenger was on board at the time and no one was injured, police said.
The driver tested negative for alcohol on a breathalyser. 'But it appeared he was high on drugs. Our colleagues suspected he had taken an illegal drug,' a police officer said. 'A roadside assessment was carried out to check his pupils for dilation and reactions. He failed the test.'
The man was then taken to Aberdeen police station, where he was given the impairment test. The half-hour test assesses a driver's alertness, ability to process instructions and balance, co-ordination and depth perception. It involves checking the ability to stand on one foot, count silently, count aloud, and put a finger on his or her nose.
