THE state government has launched its first ever drug driving campaign, warning motorists if you take drugs and drive, you will be caught.
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So far this year, one in 10 mobile drug tests (MDT) have come back positive, compared to around one in 300 positive random breath tests for alcohol.
In the Shoalhaven, since August when mobile drug testing was rolled out, there has been more than 250 positive tests for cannabis and methamphetamines.
The government announced it will be tripling mobile drug testing to 97,000 tests each year by 2017 to help combat these statistics.
Deputy Premier Troy Grant said the simple message every driver needs to hear from this campaign was if you take drugs and drive, the boys in blue are going to catch you.
“If you’re pulled over by police, it could be for a random breath test for alcohol, a mobile drug test, or both – so don’t be surprised when it happens to you,” he said.
Roads Minister Duncan Gay said ultimately he wanted to get every single one of these unsafe drivers off our roads.
“We’re throwing millions at enforcement, dedicated drug testing vehicles and education campaigns from our Community Road Safety Fund to eradicate drug driving,” Mr Gay said.
“If taking drugs isn’t stupid enough – driving while you’re doped up is even stupider.”
In 2014, there were around 50 deaths on NSW roads that involved a driver or rider with an illegal drug in their system.
Mr Gay said that was a worrying statistic and something the government was determined to combat.
NRMA local director, Kate Lundy welcomed the new campaign, saying it was something the association had been pushing for.
“The announcement is a win for the NRMA, which last year called for a public awareness campaign about the serious and increasing impact of drug driving,” she said.
“From 2010 to 2013, 104 motorists were charged with drug driving offences on roads across South Eastern NSW. So far this year, one in 10 mobile drug tests have come back positive.
“The campaign could not have come soon enough.
“Sixteen per cent of fatalities on our roads last year resulted from crashes where a driver or rider had an illicit drug in their system. What’s especially worrying for our region is that 43 per cent of those fatalities were on country roads.”
She said the NRMA launched the first drink driving campaign back in the 1980s and today, drink driving was widely unacceptable in the community.
“We need to make sure this campaign garners the same results,” she said.
