NSW’s disturbing drug driving habits revealed amid police blitz

A staggering number of NSW motorists were caught driving with drugs in their system during a two-day blitz on NSW roads — and police are set to continue to focus on “drug drivers”.

Cocaine snorters, dope smokers and meth users on the roads will increasingly be targeted by police with evidence drug taking drivers are outstripping drunk drivers.

Nearly 500 people were caught driving with drugs in their system during a two-day blitz on NSW roads.

More than 45,000 motorists were tested for either drug or alcohol last weekend with 485 returning positive results for drugs in their system and 154 people over the limit for alcohol, despite nearly three times more people undergoing testing for booze.

“In Operation Fume we did over 12,000 drug tests in two days and got 485 positive, we did over 32,000 alcohol tests and got 145 positive,” Assistant Commissioner Brett McFadden, head of the NSW Highway Patrol Unit, said.

“It’s a social challenge about drugs in our community as well as on the road.’’

Police can now detect certain types of drugs with a roadside saliva test.

Police can now detect ecstasy, marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine with roadside saliva testing before further testing is carried out.

Assistant Commissioner McFadden said the figures were disturbing, especially the disparity of those caught with drugs compared to that of alcohol.

“This is a community problem, with this operation showing that drug use is also impacting on road safety,” he said.

“We want people to be aware drug testing on our roads will be an increasing focus and a more visible feature of what we do. We want people to talk about it and want them to make decisions knowing there is a strong possibility they will be caught.

“There has also been a couple of years where our younger drivers have not been able to socialise because of Covid, now they have to be aware when they go out there is a good chance police are doing operations like we have just done or they can be pulled over for a random test.

Police are ramping up the numbers of tests carried out.

“People are increasingly getting out and about and we want them to do it safely and make wise choices around their driving particularly where drugs and alcohol are involved.”

Police are ramping up the numbers of tests carried out after Covid protocols put limitations on how and where testing could be done.

“We are certainly going to be very visible from here on in,” he said.

Mr McFadden said they are seeing all age groups making bad decisions on the roads.

“Just days after the tragedy in Buxton where a green P-plate driver is involved in an accident, we had a green P-plate driver clocked at 180km/h in Lithgow,” he said.

“But it’s not just young people. Last Thursday a 55-year-old woman registered 0.265 when pulled over at Ballina travelling from Queensland to Victoria and was drinking while driving, literally.”