Kenneth Foo from Standard

The driver of a school bus has been jailed for 18 months and had his license suspended for four years for being under the influence of prescription drugs.

The District Court heard that Chan Wai-on, 27, was driving a bus carrying four high school students when it crashed into the rear of a stationary double-decker at a stop in Pok Fu Lam Road on November 24 last year.

Although there were no reported injuries, it was later found the driver had consumed prescription drugs to treat insomnia, hours before taking the wheel.

Judge Joseph Yau Chi-lap said yesterday Chan neglected the safety of passengers and put their lives at risk by driving after consuming drugs.

The court heard Chan started drinking cough syrup for kicks, and had once fallen unconscious on the street after overdosing.

He underwent numerous sessions of psychiatric treatment because of the hallucinatory effects of the drugs, but continued to abuse sedatives and cough syrup,

According to reports compiled by experts, the four types of prescription drugs consumed by Chan could produce side effects including blurred vision, sluggishness and short-term memory loss.

His case is the first to come before a court since new legislation on drug-driving came into effect.

Police at the scene said Chan appeared to have slurred speech and was unable to walk steadily.

When asked to produce his driving license, he pulled out a HK$20 note and a credit card instead.

Chan later admitted consuming psychoactive drugs to treat his condition of long-term insomnia, before taking the wheel. He said he swallowed two pills in the morning and later drank six cans of beer and some brandy.