Debate contribution: Justice Bill: Consideration Stage

Debate contribution by Mrs Julie Middleton on 9 June 2026.

MLA: Mrs Julie Middleton
Party at the time: Democratic Unionist Party
Date: 9 June 2026
Type: Debate contribution
Business: Executive Committee Business
Heading: Justice Bill: Consideration Stage
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5602200

Text

I rise to speak in full support of the introduction of Jaidyn's law, which is an amendment of crucial importance to all in Northern Ireland. I did not know Jaidyn Rice personally, but her name will for ever be burnt on my heart. Jaidyn was 16 years old when she lost her life at the hands of a driver. She was described as:
"a light in this broken and sometimes dark world".
While Jaidyn's life was cruelly stolen from her at the hands of an irresponsible driver while she was out walking, her legacy and light will, all being well, live on today and every day through this process, particularly if we make the effort to work together at this stage to make meaningful changes so that the legislation makes sense when it passes its Final Stage. Road safety is an issue that affects us all. I do not think that I need to say that, but, on the basis that the general public sometimes watch what we say, we need to get that message across. Whether you are a driver, a pedestrian, a passenger or a cyclist, it is imperative that our laws are tied up, robust when it comes to road safety and, most important, put the lives of our citizens first. We all know that one life lost is one too many. Yesterday, my colleague Paul Frew remarked that we have a real opportunity to change law for the better. I accept that I am a new MLA, but I found that really inspiring. When we have community members, bereaved families and amazing road safety charities, such as, to name only two, Life After and Road Safe NI, outlining the need for legislative change, it is our duty to listen, work together and act decisively. Jaidyn's law is a necessity for our legal framework. It will strengthen the existing laws around the recklessness that is drug-driving. Members, you will be well aware that it is already against the law to take copious amounts of drugs — drugs in any case — jump behind the wheel of a car and drive it.
If people have consumed drugs, they are unfit to drive. It is reckless to choose to drive in such circumstances. Should Jaidyn's law become law after the Bill's Final Stage, it will be mandatory to test for drug use when a road traffic collision or a road traffic accident has taken place. That is a welcome step forward in our pursuit of eliminating or, at the very least, lowering the number of road-related deaths and the number of people injured or seriously injured in Northern Ireland. Members, if our primary duty is to improve the lives of all those who live in Northern Ireland, what better protection can we offer them than to do all that we can to better our legislation for road users? It is my genuine hope that the implementation of Jaidyn's law will prevent death and serious injury at the hands of those who foolishly take drugs and drive.
I thank the Member for his intervention. I absolutely agree. Sadly, through many years of working alongside road safety organisations, I have heard such stories from families, from all communities, who have had their lives torn apart. It becomes their daily reality. It is not their past or a moment of sorrow but something that they have to live with every day. As a parent, I am conscious of the position of my child when we walk on the street and of where other drivers are when they are around me. I am sure that many Members feel the same. Work will be needed should the amendment pass at Consideration Stage. We can make tangible changes at Further Consideration Stage. Drug-driving is similar to drink-driving, in that it can leave a person unfit to drive. It often leads the driver to lack sound cognitive, auditory or visual ability. It causes an increase in risk-taking behaviour and a lowering of good decision-making processes. In a car or any other vehicle, that is a lethal combination, because people are operating what can only be described as a moving vehicle that can cause serious harm not just to one life but to a family's life forever. Drivers' attentiveness, their perception of time and speed and their critical judgement skills can, more often than not, be seriously affected when they make the choice to use drugs whilst driving. Although, sadly, we cannot undo the terrible pain that those who have lost someone continue to live with daily, we can insist that the amendment be brought in as a serious deterrent. If people choose to get into a vehicle under the influence of drugs and are involved in an RTA or an RTC, testing will be mandatory. What a message to send. Surely that should cause those who are thinking of doing so — I will speak colloquially here — to catch themselves on. I am sure that all our citizens would rather wise up than live with the lifelong guilt of knowing that they had taken a life and ruined a family and a community forever. Members, I have to be honest and say that the more that I read about Jaidyn's law, the more aghast that I am that mandatory drug testing at an RTC or an RTA is not already part of our legal framework. I am glad that we are debating amendment No 75 today. I thank all those who have been involved in the process. I am thankful that we have had the time to discuss the issue today. Should we see the amendment pass, we will be able to witness a change that is long overdue for many families. It will send a signal that, when MLAs work together, we can show how much we care, individually and collectively, and that we are behind the people when it comes to the fundamental issue of justice. Let us be clear that we are working through this legislation in the memory of 16-year-old Jaidyn Rice and all victims of drug-drivers. We have a clear case for bringing about change, spurred on by Jaidyn's family, who have channelled their unimaginable grief into a campaign for clarity, consistency and the protection of other families and people on our roads, and for every pedestrian on our streets. Current legislation leaves too much space for chance — the chance that someone will not be tested and caught; the chance that justice will not be served; the chance that there will be nothing to deter; the chance that another person will jump into their vehicle having taken drugs and will kill or seriously injure someone. Those are chances that we cannot afford to take. Under our existing systems, drug testing following a serious road traffic collision is not always automatic — we know that, and that is what we are discussing — but that creates a dangerous gap in the investigative process. If we are serious about road safety, we must ensure that the true picture, irrespective of what it may be, is always shown and that justice can be pursued with the same scrutiny and consistency. When a family loses a loved one on the roads, they deserve to know that the investigation was thorough. They should not be left questioning whether a potential factor in the collision, such as drug impairment, was fully explored. Jaidyn's law will provide us with the peace of mind that the legal system is doing everything in its power to establish the facts. The justice system should not rely on discretionary decisions at the scene of a tragedy. Mandatory testing removes ambiguity and ensures that the PSNI has the tools that it needs to build robust cases. It ensures that no driver evades justice due to a lack of evidence regarding impairment. Yet, because those substances are not always as easily detected as alcohol at the roadside, they often remain a hidden danger, and we need to make sure that that is not the case any more. The amendment, all being well, will close the loophole. It is practical, evidence-based and a step towards modernising our approach to road safety. Should we move forward with making drug testing mandatory at the scene of an RTA or RTC that involves death or life-changing injuries, we will be sending a clear, non-negotiable message that driving while impaired will be detected, and it will be prosecuted. That would act as a powerful deterrent to reckless behaviour. Today, we can ensure that Jaidyn's legacy is one of real and lasting change. We can build a road safety framework that prioritises the lives of road users and pedestrians alike. The amendment is not just about policy; it is about life and death, and I urge all Members to support Jaidyn's law fully.

1,475 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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