DRUG DRIVING
In Western Australia, police have disclosed that 1 in 50 drivers are caught by police driving after using an illicit drug.
The main drugs detected by saliva tests are cannabis, ICE and ecstasy.
Statistics show that 1 in 3 road deaths in Australia involve the use of illicit drugs.
(Source: ABC WA Stateline, 16 November 2007)
In Victoria, the Coroner has determined that a high level of cannabis caused a fatal collision that killed 7 people including 2 children in September 2006 in Northern Victoria.
(Source: Australian Associated Press, 6 August 2007)
In Washington USA a school minivan driver that had used cannabis collided with another school bus causing the death of a 14 year old girl student and himself.
(Source: Pioneer Press, 14 November 2007)
The Drug Advisory Council of Australia Comments
Drug driving CAN be substantially reduced by using the detection of drug users to ensure drug use is stopped by them.
By diverting detected illicit drug users into court ordered and supervised detoxification and rehabilitation we can reduce the trauma of drug induced accidents by at least one third.
Diversion programs are used overseas to reduce drug use and road trauma and are world’s best practice.
Australia should learn from effective drug and road safety policies to help drug users and their victims.
Lets ditch harm minimization for world’s best practice.
More detoxification & rehabilitation that gets illicit drug users drug free.
Court ordered and supervised detoxification & rehabilitation.
Less illicit drug users, drug pushers and drug related crimes.
44/2007