Half of crash drivers on drugs – study

Tests on drivers who caused crashes reveal more than half had drugs in their system and more than a quarter had taken drugs not prescribed by their doctor.

The Ministry of Transport tested 453 drivers who caused crashes and found 258 had drugs in their system and of that group 156 had taken drugs not administered by a medical professional, the New Zealand Herald reports.

About 90 of those sent to hospital had taken cannabis and drunk alcohol.

Drivers with more than the legal limit of alcohol in their system made up just over half of those analysed.

The Automobile Association (AA) says the Government should bring in random roadside saliva tests to target drug drivers.

But Associate Transport Minister Simon Bridges told NZ Herald the Government would wait for saliva testing technology to improve before targeting drug drivers through random tests.

A review of the technology, revealed earlier this year, found it was not fast enough, was unlikely to detect half of cannabis users and results are not reliable enough for criminal prosecution.

Currently police can test drivers if they believe they are under the influence of drugs and this is followed up with a blood test.

Radio New Zealand reports the ministry downplayed the prevalence of drug driving in a paper which went to cabinet this year.

A large section of information in the draft paper was deleted from the final copy, including results of a study which analysed the blood samples of hundreds of people taken to hospital after crashes, the broadcaster said.

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Half of crash drivers on drugs - study