CAIRO: Random drug-tests on school bus drivers will be halted as police forces performing the tests will be securing polling stations during the parliament elections, Youm7 reported Sunday.
The polling kicked off Sunday in 14 governorates, with tight security measures announced outside polling stations. The first phase of the elections, including run-offs, is scheduled to be finalized by the end of October.
An anti-driving under influence (DUI) campaign at private schools, launched by the government, entered its second year in a row in October. The campaign has examined 700 drivers so far; 66 of whom tested positive for hashish, heroin, Tramadol in three governorates: Cairo, Giza and Qalubiya.
It is set to continue its work in November, an official at the anti-Addiction Fund Alaa Assaf told Youm7.
The screening campaign plans to test a total of 4,000 drivers at 600 schools during this academic year 2015/2016. Last year, 7 percent of 1,400 school bus drivers tested positive for drugs.
A 2014 crash in which 11 students burned to death is believed to have triggered the government’s attention to monitor the road after the crash involved a truck driver who tested positive for hashish. The government’s escalation aims to reduce road accidents caused by driving under the influence (DUI.)