Drug-driving detections surge on South Australian roads as drink-driving message starts to resonate

Far more motorists are driving while drugged up, with a leap in detection rates by SA Police. But drink driving is a different matter.

One in six motorists tested by police is caught driving with drugs in their system on South Australian roads, where detection rates have surged more than 140 per cent in a decade.

But the dangers of drink-driving appear to be resonating with motorists as new figures reveal the number caught above the limit has dropped by more than half since 2011.

The state’s top traffic cop says he is concerned about the significant rise in positive roadside drug tests, which he attributes to a greater use of illicit substances in society.

New SA Police figures obtained by The Advertiser show the number of drug detections has increased from 2284 at a rate of one in 19 during 2011 to 5500 at rate of one in six last year.

Drug tests and detections reduced during 2020, when police temporarily stopped roadside operations in response coronavirus pandemic safety concerns.

Traffic Services Branch officer-in-charge Superintendent Bob Gray said drug screening upgrades in 2012 and 2018 expedited the testing process to help police catch more drivers.

“The most important reason, unfortunately, is wastewater analysis shows drug use has increased over the past 10 years so that correlates with the increase in detections, which is concerning,” Superintendent Gray told The Advertiser.

“What I find with drugs is a lot of people I see detected when I go out to block testing is there is no contemplation.

“They don’t particularly avert their mind to the fact they may have drugs in their system and probably a lot of them can’t not use drugs and they run the gauntlet and hope they don’t get detected.”

Authorities have repeatedly warned that drugs have the potential to increase road crashes through impaired performance and can remain in the user’s system for up to 24 hours after consumption.

A driver detected with a prescribed drug – methylamphetamine, cannabis or MDMA – in their oral fluid or blood receives an $847 fine and four demerit points.

Superintendent Gray said education was paramount in curbing the number of drug-drivers on SA roads.

“If you choose to make those decisions and be irresponsible and disregard the safety of others we will detect you and … the penalties for drug-driving are significant,” he said.

Superintendent Gray said police each year were funded a certain number of drug tests, which took “a lot longer” to conduct than alcohol tests.

Police conducting random drug and alcohol testing on Anzac Highway. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

The police figures show the number of drivers caught above the 0.05 blood-alcohol limit fell by 56.2 per cent from 16,112 in 2011 to 7059 last year.

Detection rates have reduced from one in 38 to one in 57 over the past 10 years, however drivers are still recording shockingly high results during roadside tests.

A magistrate last week declared a blood-alcohol level of 0.35 returned by Herbet Jungarrayi Martin, 57, was one of the highest readings he had ever encountered.

Martin was driving slowly around Whitmore Square in the Adelaide CBD on June 1, when police pulled him over. His staggering roadside test result was seven times the limit.

Martin, who pleaded guilty to drink-driving, was fined $1100 and disqualified for 20 months.

“Education has played a large part over a long time and people are more considered about drinking and driving,” Superintendent Gray said.

“The cohort who use drugs really do not seem to perturbed about using them and a lot of them are probably dependent on them and that’s their life choice.”

An RAA survey of more than 560 members nominated drink and drug drivers as their greatest safety concern.

RAA safety and infrastructure senior manager Charles Mountain said the surge in drug-driving detection rates was alarming.

“The simple fact is that driving with drugs in your system can increase the likelihood and severity of a crash,’’ Mr Mountain said.

“There needs to be a greater understanding in the community of the impact drugs have on people’s ability to drive safely and how long they remain detectible in the system.

“The safety risks associated with drug-driving should be highlighted in high schools, workplaces and through public road safety campaigns.’’

Originally published as Drug-driving detections surge on South Australian roads as drink-driving message starts to resonate