Beginning at midnight, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) will implement a significant enhancement to its roadside drug testing protocols, making it the third region in Australia to include cocaine detection. This initiative aims to bolster road safety for users in Canberra.
Starting January 1, 2025, police officers will be empowered to conduct oral fluid tests at the roadside that can identify cocaine use. Previously, the ACT Policing was limited to testing for cannabis, methamphetamine, and MDMA (ecstasy). However, there has been a notable rise in cocaine usage in the territory, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Motorists caught driving under the influence of either prescription drugs or illicit substances risk facing penalties of up to $4,000, equating to 25 penalty units valued at $160 each, in addition to a potential six-month suspension of their driver’s license.
The decision to broaden the scope of drug testing comes seven years after cocaine was first added to the testing capabilities of New South Wales Police in early 2018. The Queensland Police Service followed suit in July 2023, responding to an alarming increase in drivers testing positive for the substance over the preceding five years.
When Queensland introduced its cocaine testing measures, officials emphasized that these tests are designed to identify any trace of the drug, which should not be present in a driver’s saliva in any measurable amount.
Effective September 1, 2024, motorists in New South Wales who test positive on a roadside drug screening will face immediate arrest, eliminating the requirement to be transported to a police station or mobile testing unit for further evaluation.
Data from the National Road Safety Partnership Program, facilitated by Monash University’s Accident Research Centre, indicates that approximately one-quarter of drivers who die in traffic incidents have drugs—excluding alcohol—present in their system.
Source:www.carexpert.com.au
