Victoria Expands Drug Driver Testing
In a further bid to tackle road trauma, the Brumby Labor Government is delivering an extra 25,500 drug testing kits to Victoria Police to get drug affected drivers off the road and reduce the road toll.
Police Minister Bob Cameron and Assistant Commissioner Ken Lay today announced the Roadside Drug Testing program expansion and released results of the latest Operation Ardent traffic blitz as statistics revealed a greater ratio of drivers are found with drugs in their system than with alcohol levels above .05.
“Drug drivers are a growing concern with testing showing police are nearly three times more likely to detect impairing drugs in drivers compared to drivers with a blood alcohol content reading over .05 and we are taking action to curb this behaviour,” Mr Cameron said.
”The Brumby Labor Government has allocated $10 million towards replacing drug-testing devices and expanding roadside drug testing with the number of drivers tested per year expected to double to 40,000 annually by 2012.
“This means there will be an additional 25,500 drug testing kits and 25 secondary testing machines, which test for three types of illicit drugs – methylamphetamine (speed, ice), MDMA (ecstasy) and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (cannabis).
“While Victoria is achieving record low road tolls, any life lost on our roads is too many and our Government will continue to work with Victoria Police and road safety authorities to help save lives and keep families together.”
Around one in 67 drivers tested are found to have an illicit substance in their system, compared to around 1 in 160 with a blood alcohol content level over .05.
This year the Brumby Labor Government allocated $154.7million for road safety initiatives to help save lives and reduce serious injuries.
Mr Cameron said the funding boost was providing Victoria Police with the latest in speed, drink and drug detection devices and updated road safety camera technology.
“The Brumby Labor Government is proud to continue supporting Victoria Police in helping people arrive safely at their destination and driving down the road and keeping families together,” he said.
“This is a significant investment to ensure people arrive at their destination safely by bolstering speed, drug and drink driving detection.
“Victorian’s 2008 road toll was the lowest on record – 303 people lost their lives last year, the lowest since records began in 1952 and 28 less than 2007.
“The Brumby Labor Government has continued its commitment to road safety under the arrive alive strategy, setting an ambitious goal to cut the road toll and reduce serious injuries by 30 per cent by 2017.”
Topics: Australia, blood alcohol, Brumby Labor Government, drug affected drivers, drug drivers, Governance, Health Care, Operation Ardent, Roadside Drug Testing Program, safety, traffic fatalities, Victoria
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