Spike in Northern Territory busts for drug driving as infringement notices double
THE number of people caught drug driving last financial year has almost doubled compared to previous years, according to NT Police data
Northern Territory
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THE number of people caught drug driving last financial year has almost doubled on previous years, according to NT Police data.
It comes as police look to crackdown on drug drivers by ramping up the number of tests conducted over the past two years.
Most recently, on New Year’s Eve, cops conducted 46 drug tests and one person returned a positive reading.
In the 2019-2020 financial year 217 infringements for drug driving were dished out compared to 114 in 2018-2019 and just 33 in 2017-2018.
The increase is despite police having to dial back their drink and drug driver testing during the COVID-19 lockdown.
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The southern command had the highest number of infringements with 87 followed by 69 in Darwin and 59 in the northern command.
Two other infringements were in an unknown location.
Palmerston and Road Policing Acting Superintendent Paul Faustmann said drug tests on motorists were now part of random breath testing stations, and warned those who chose to flout the laws; there was a high chance you would be caught.
“The old traditional random breath testing station no longer exists, it is a random breath testing and drug testing, you might be required to do both, so if drive on the influence of drugs, there’s a good chance you’ll get caught for that too,” he said.
A/Supt Faustmann said the police force had put in considerable resources and time to increase the rate of drug testing in the Territory.
“Over the last two years the Northern Territory Police has invested a lot more money in the machinery and the testing technology and training of members to actually utilize that equipment,” he said.
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“So, it’s just, it’s like a gradual thing it’s growing now that it’s become widespread across the Territory, it’s not confined to down it’s not confined to Katherine, it’s now spread through the Territory, and there’s many stations out there that can do the testing.”
Over the holidays NT Police are targeting road safety as part of Operation Roland, which ends on January 7.
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