Drug drivers top death list on NSW roads

NSW Police are cracking down on drug drivers as they now account for more deaths on NSW roads than drunk drivers.

Drugged drivers now account for more deaths on NSW roads than drunk drivers.

The latest statistics from Transport for NSW reveal that around 24 per cent of the state’s road fatalities each year, equating to around 79 lives lost, involve a driver with the presence of illegal drugs in their system.

The statistics show drunk drivers contribute to 17 per cent of the state’s road fatalities.

Last year, one in every six roadside drug tests carried out resulted in someone being caught, compared to the 230 roadside breath tests it takes on average to detect a drink driver.

Roadside drug tests can detect the presence of cannabis, MDMA, cocaine and methamphetamine, and in NSW ice and cannabis return the majority of positive results.

Traffic and Highway Patrol Command boss Assistant Commissioner Brett McFadden said police were cracking down on drug driving, and had increased mobile testing to combat the issue.

Mackenzie Blake, who was killed by a drugged driver in 2021, with her brothers Jordan and Rowan. Drugged drivers now account for more deaths on NSW roads than drunk drivers.

“Police are increasing our response to drugs becoming more prevalent in society, and increasing our testing on the roads to make sure we’re doing all we can to make the roads safe, but we need the community to do their part,” he said.

“We need people to talk to their family and friends, have tough conversations, and do their part to help us to stop more unnecessary deaths on our roads. We can’t accept this irresponsible behaviour and the community shouldn’t either.”

Figures provided to the Sunday Telegraph from the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) show that the number of drivers caught using drugs before jumping in the car doubled from 2018 to 2022.

In 2018, more than 8700 drivers were caught behind the wheel while on drugs. By 2022, that number was 17,792.

According to BOCSAR’s executive director Jackie Fitzgerald, the data showed men were caught “overwhelmingly” more often than women, while drivers in regional areas were the worst offenders.

“(Mobile drug tests) seem to be most commonly enforced in the regions,” she said.

“The highest rates of drug driving are in the Far West Orana, the Riverina, the Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven are also quite high.

“Sydney rates do seem to be quite a bit lower.”

Tom Daher, co-founder of the Road Trauma Support Group, said mobile drug testing needed to be more frequent, while courts needed to send a stronger message to offenders.

“We don’t want to keep seeing people die because of this. When will it be enough?.” Mr Daher said.

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