SA Police bust more than 730 people driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol at least three times in the previous five years

MORE than 700 people have been busted driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol at least three times in the previous five years, new figures reveal.

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MORE than 730 people have been busted drink- or drug-driving at least three times in a five-year period, new State Government figures reveal.

State Transport Department figures show 608 drug drivers and 131 drunk drivers were caught last year for their third or subsequent drug driving offence in five years.

Drivers who lose their licence after committing two drug driving offences or two serious drink driving offences must pass a dependency test before they are allowed behind the wheel again.

The test is meant to determine if a person has a drug or alcohol addiction which makes them “unfit to hold a driver’s licence”.

Opposition police spokesman Stephan Knoll said the number of drivers committing three or more offences within a five-year period suggested the current system was not keeping substance addicted motorists off the roads.

The vast majority of drivers reflected in the Transport Department figures should have passed a dependency test after their second offence.

MPs are debating legislation put to Parliament by the State Government which would toughen the law by requiring any driver caught drug or drink driving with a child in the car to pass a dependency test before getting their licence back — regardless of how many other offences they had committed.

More than 700 South Australians have been busted driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol at least three times in the previous five years, new figures reveal.

As part of the debate, the Opposition is proposing that drivers should have the option of completing a rehabilitation program, instead of a dependency test, to regain their licence.

Mr Knoll said the Government would have control over the criteria for the rehabilitation program.

“The current system isn’t working. At the moment we have people on our roads who are on drugs and, unless they can clean themselves up and change their behaviour for the long-term, we’re going to see this behaviour continuing,” he said.

Mr Knoll accused the Government of “refusing to support a sensible amendment simply because it came from the Liberal Party”.

Police and Road Safety Minister Chris Picton argued the Liberals “are trying to weaken the requirements” so offenders would “only undertake some sort of dependency treatment of their choice”.

“This will sadly make it easier for people to get their licence back without stopping their dependency on drugs,” he said.

Currently, drivers are not required to complete any sort of rehabilitation before trying to pass a dependency assessment.

Mr Knoll said this meant they could detox for the test, before returning to addictive habits.