NSW Government expected to announce cocaine roadside drug tests

DRIVERS will face routine roadside tests for cocaine in a major escalation of the war against drugged-up motorists. It is understood Premier Gladys Berejiklian will announce the plans tomorrow.

DRIVERS will face routine roadside tests for cocaine in a major escalation of the war against drugged-up motorists.

It is understood Premier Gladys Berejiklian will tomorrow announce plans to add cocaine to existing mobile tests for cannabis, ice and ecstasy after The Sunday Telegraph revealed last week that Police Commissioner Mick Fuller wanted the drug included in the testing regime.

Police are thought to have the technology ready to roll and have only been waiting for legal changes to implement it.

They have also been cautious that the technology and the science has to be right, with each roadside test using a DrugWipe 3S device costings around $18.

Pictured is NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller at the front of NewsCorp HQ in Surry Hills. Picture: Christian Gilles

Pictured in Sydney is Melinda Pavey, Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight who is part of an upcoming Road safety campaign. Picture: Richard Dobson

The plan has long hinged on a tweak to the Road Transport Act 2013, which comes under Roads Minister Melinda Pavey’s portfolio.

Ms Pavey and the NSW Centre for Road Safety are said to be less supportive of the idea, relying on years of data that shows cocaine is rarely linked to fatal or serious crashes.

Drugs like cannabis, ecstasy and ice were linked to almost 300 fatal crashes between 2012 and 2016, whereas cocaine was associated with just 11, according to the CRS.

While the government played down cocaine’s contribution to road trauma, it acknowledged roadside drug testing had broad community support.

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“Consultation with the community in early 2017 for the Road Safety Plan found very strong community support for drink and drug-driving enforcement,” CRS executive director Bernard Carlon said. “Ninety per cent of the NSW community rate alcohol and drug testing as important.”

A trial of roadside cocaine testing was flagged for the Eastern Suburbs last year but never eventuated. This was despite Police Minister Troy Grant writing to Ms Pavey requesting her assistance in amending the legislation.

Its been a horror year, which included three members of the Falkholt killed as Jess was taken off life support yesterday. Picture: Facebook

Drivers can currently be tested for cocaine if police suspect they are under the influence, but the driver must be taken to a hospital for a blood test.

The move towards including cocaine in roadside testing comes after a horrific year on NSW roads, with 393 people killed, making it the worst road toll in seven years.

Twenty-nine people were killed in car crashes over the Christmas holidays alone, prompting crisis talks between government and police on how to tackle the road trauma.

Police are aiming to double the number of roadside drug tests in NSW this year from 100,000 to 200,000.

Ninety per cent of NSW residents said drug and alcohol is important. Picture: Matt Loxton

Mr Fuller said last week he hoped cocaine and other drugs would be available to test with technology advances this year.

He referred to wastewater analysis that showed Sydney had the highest rate of cocaine use in the country.

“The evidence from the wastewater testing that there is a significant problem with cocaine use in this state,” he said.

“It would be fair for the police commissioner to assume there are many, many people driving impaired using cocaine.”