Cops dark on dopes

By Kelly Yates
TRAFFIC police are cracking down on pill-poppers getting behind the wheel in a bid to stop the state’s growing trend of drug-impaired drivers hitting Casey’s roads.
Senior Constable Allen Inderwisch from Casey Highway Patrol said that while police had only caught a “small number” of drug-impaired drivers in the City of Casey, they certainly wanted to stamp out the trend before it developed throughout the municipality.
“We’re aware of the increasing number of drivers detected throughout the state and want drivers to be aware that when they go through booze buses, police are not just testing for alcohol but also for illicit drugs,” he said.
The latest Victoria Police figures released last week show that speed is the most likely drug detected in motorists. Cannabis was the second highest detected drug at 29 per cent and MDMA or Ecstasy the third highest at 15 per cent.
Sen Const Inderwisch, who is accredited to perform roadside impairment tests, has had three drug impairment requests by police in Casey over the past 12 months.
As part of the road side impairment tests, Sen Const Inderwisch said police examined the driver’s eye movement, co-ordination and balance.
“We are concerned at the number of young drug users attending rave parties and thinking it is OK to take illicit drugs and then drive,” he said.
“I don’t believe in recreational drugs. Drugs are drugs and no matter how you sell it, it’s an illegal substance.”
Sen Const Inderwisch agreed that speed, cannabis and MDMA were the most common drugs found in drivers.
He said it was just as dangerous for drivers to be impaired by illicit drugs as it was for motorists to be impaired by alcohol.
“People’s attitude’s towards drug use and driving certainly does annoy police,” he said.
“They often think it is perfectly fine to take drugs and drive. They will say it’s wrong to drink and drive but see that there’s no problem with having a joint or a pill before getting behind the wheel.”
In the five and a half years since Victoria Police’s random drug testing program started, more than 122,000 drivers have been tested for drugs, and of those almost 2000 had tested positive.
Over the past six months, police have drug tested 22,473 drivers with 336 drivers returning a positive result.
Victoria was the first jurisdiction in the world to begin testing drivers randomly for illicit drug use.
Other jurisdictions across the world have since taken the same action and adapted and utilised the Victorian model of drug testing.