Random roadside drug testing is coming into force from next year to deter drug-impaired driving and it’s got the support of the road transport industry.
It follows the passing of the Land Transport (Drug Driving) Amendment legislation in Parliament on Tuesday, March 9.
The bill gives police the power to conduct random oral fluid testing at the roadside to detect 25 of the most common impairing illicit and prescription drugs including THC, methamphetamine, MDMA, opioids and cocaine.
This was recommended by an independent expert panel led by Dr Helen Poulsen which provided technical advice on the thresholds for both infringement and criminal offences.
The rollout of roadside testing is set to begin in early 2023 and will be similar to alcohol breath testing.
The Ministry of Transport, NZ Police, and Waka Kotahi will be working together over the next 12 months to implement the new regime.
In both 2020 and 2019, over 100 people were killed in crashes where a driver was found to have had drugs in their system.
Transport minister Michael Wood says the legislation “directly addresses these preventable crashes and will lead to safer roads for all.”
“Drug-impaired driving accounts for nearly a third of all road deaths. These are preventable tragedies – improving our approach for detecting and deterring drug driving will go a long way towards minimising the devastating heartbreak for whānau across New Zealand.
“This is just one action we are taking as a part of our Government’s Road to Zero strategy to save the lives of people on our roads. We want to see zero road deaths and serious injuries by 2050, and this legislation is a step in the right direction.
“We also acknowledge that this is a new area of enforcement activity and it is important to monitor its rollout carefully. As such, we agreed during the parliamentary process to a formal review of the drug driving regime after three years of operation,” Wood says.
Police minister Poto Williams says the legislation provides police with better tools for drug driving enforcement.
“Random roadside oral fluid testing can detect the most common impairing drugs used by New Zealand drivers
“The regime also establishes new blood criminal limits and infringement thresholds for 25 impairing drugs.
“We are taking an important step to stop unnecessary road trauma. This legislation complements other Road to Zero action, which includes investing $1.2 billion for road policing over the next three years.
“Driving under the influence of drugs is a major safety issue on our roads, and this legislation shows that our Government is doing something about it,” Williams says.
A win for safety
Trucking industry body Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand is welcoming the legislation and has supported the law since 2019 when it was first proposed.
“Clearly something had to be done when the increased use of drugs became responsible for about a third of our already horrific road toll,” chief executive Nick Leggett says.
“This is important to the road freight transport industry because for our truck drivers, the road is their workplace.
“They can be the best driver in the world, but up against someone flying high, the risks to their safety are elevated. All our operators want to see their drivers home safely at the end of each shift and we hope this law will contribute to that.
“It allows for random roadside oral fluid testing for specified drugs. The aim is to deter people from driving while under the influence of drugs …
“We want to see adequate police resources put into holding up this law once it is enacted so we can see less dangerous drugged drivers, making our roads safer,” Leggett says.
The 25 drugs to be tested include:
- Alprazolam
- Amphetamine
- Buprenorphine
- Clonazepam
- Cocaine
- Codeine
- Diazepam
- Dihydrocodeine
- Fentanyl
- GHB
- Ketamine
- Lorazepam
- MDMA
- Methadone
- Methamphetamine
- Midazolam
- Morphine
- Nitrazepam
- Oxazepam
- Oxycodone
- Temazepam
- THC (cannabis)
- Tramadol
- Triazolam
- Zopiclone
