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Roadside Drug Testing (NSW)

don't think this will hit us that heavily yet, i'm of an understanding that nsw has only one drug bus as of yet. i'm pretty sure once it enters a town everyone is going to know about it. i don't condone drug driving but some people do it very regularly and safely, i guess it's their way of stopping more young deaths but i don't think in the short term it will stop everyone from drug driving. rbt's don't stop people drink driving do they...?
 
4 Hours after use???

17. How long after consuming illicit drugs can they be detected?

The consumption of THC (the active component in cannabis) will be detected for several hours after use. The actual time after consumption that THC will be detected depends on the THC strength of the cannabis used and on the driver’s metabolism. Drivers who may have inactive THC residue in their bodies from use in previous days/weeks will not be detected.

Methamphetamines (speed) may be detected for approximately 24 hours after use. These drugs can affect the ability of a driver to safely control his or her car for at least this period of time. Extremely large doses, other drugs taken at the same time, and differences in individual metabolism may affect the duration of the effects of these drugs.

From the Vic Roads website
 
Out of curiosity, has the roadside drug testing officially started in NSW yet? I ask because this morning I trie some illegal drugs, and I feel fine now and plan to drive tonight, but won't risk it if the drug bus is already in force...
Reading the articles from about two months ago, they mentioned it would be starting in about 3 months, but I can't seem to find any more information anywhere :/
thanks in advance!
 
Nah it hasn't started yet, Don't worry you'll know when it does start because it'll be like in Victoria and they will have the media present to splash the face of the first person busted all across the news.
 
Heh we had a drug bus experience when I was recently down in melbourne. It was quite a new and amusing experience
 
yeah I was reading something that said that, except for alcohol, valium and other perscription downers cause the highest amount of driving fatalities... i cant remember exactly but it was a ridiculous amount higher than any amphetiamine or THC accidents. Just goes to show that this isn't really a driving safety thing, just another excuse to crack down on recreational drugs and youth
 
Thanks for the link Prince Planet. I have copied the information and placed it in this post for easier viewing by other members. :)

RTA Website said:
Drugs and driving don't mix

Safe driving requires clear judgement, concentration and being able to react to what happens on the road. Drugs affect all of these. Taking drugs and driving puts you at greater risk of killing yourself, your friends or other innocent people in a road crash.

So, if you plan on driving ... don’t use drugs!


Roadside Drug Testing

From 15 December 2006 police will have powers to carry out roadside drug testing on any driver, rider or supervising licence holder in NSW.

Driving with the presence of an illicit drug

A roadside drug test will be used to enforce the new offence of driving with the presence of an illicit drug.

What drugs will be tested?

Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active component of cannabis.
Methylamphetamine, also known as speed, ice, crystal meth, or base.
Methylenedioxymethylamphetamine (MDMA), also known as ecstasy.

How will testing work?

Police will conduct a preliminary oral fluid test through the window of your vehicle.
You will be required to lick the test pad of the device. A result will be known in about five minutes.
If you test negative you will be able to drive away.
If you test positive you will have to get out of your vehicle and go with a police officer to provide a second oral fluid sample in the police support vehicle.
The second sample will be tested using another oral fluid screening device. It should take about 20 minutes.
If you test positive to this test you will not be charged at this time, however, you will be prohibited from driving for 24 hours by Police. The remaining portion of your second oral fluid sample will be sent to a laboratory for confirmatory analysis.
If the presence of one or more of these three drugs is confirmed by the laboratory, you will receive a Court Attendance Notice within a few weeks of your roadside drug test with the charge of driving with the presence of an illicit drug.

Penalties

Penalties for the new offences include:

$1,100 fine.
Licence disqualification.
Heavier penalties apply for a second offence.

Other drug driving laws in NSW include:

Driving under the influence of drugs

If the manner of your driving indicates that you are impaired by drugs or you are involved in a fatal crash police have the power to take you to a hospital for a blood and urine sample.

The sample will be analysed for any drug including some prescription medicines known to impair driving.

Penalties

There are harsh penalties for driving while under the influence of drugs, including:

A $2,200 fine.
Up to 9 months in jail.
Licence disqualification.
Heavier penalties apply for a second offence.

Driving with the presence of cocaine or morphine (heroin)

There is also a new offence of driving with the presence of cocaine or morphine (heroin) in blood or urine (unless the morphine was taken for medicinal purposes).

Penalties

Penalties for the new offences include:

$1,100 fine.
Licence disqualification.
Heavier penalties apply for a second offence.

RTA - Drugs and Driving
Click to expand...
 
Has anyone seen the drug bus yet? I know there was a report that it was operating around Sydney for a brief period over xmas, but was smoked out by a bush fire. I think there are some issues regarding the science or lack of it and the inconsistencies that this may present if and when it goes to court.
 
Not one has been used in Queensland either. I was at a Sydney dance party on the weekend with around 5000-6000 people and multiple sniffer dogs and many police were used. The way it is set up it is easy to redirect all traffic to one way only and drug test random vehicles but they did not bother doing this, and this is a week after someone died from PMA.
 
man, this drug testing schenanigans has me angree... the RTA won't tell me how long it takes for cannabis to get out of my saliva...

I hate it... basically means that i have to choose either a job or a stoners life.. o.O i have no way of getting to work other than car... and the road to work is one of the heaviest RBT'd routes i know :(, this makes me a saaaaad panda

I edited out the language myself ^^
 
Last edited:
ostrich said:
man, this drug testing schenanigans has me angree... the RTA won't tell me how long it takes for cannabis to get out of my saliva...
Click to expand...

I don't think they know themselves, the science is not that accurate or consistent for each individual. I recently was an observer to series of Drugswipe testings conducted by an organisation in NSW that was trying to ascertain this very thing. They were hoping to put out some recommendations to inform people of some basic guidelines similar to blood alcohol guidelines, ie. 2 drinks first hour, 1 each hour after that etc. The results were pretty crazy.

One guy smoked a joint and was tested an hour later and was negative. Two days later he smoked the same cannabis and was tested 4 hours later and was positive and was still positive another 2 hours later. He then ate a couple of bananas in quick succession and was retested negative. In this test he waited several minutes for his saliva to gather again in his mouth.

All up 25 tests were conducted with no consistent results. One woman ate a considerable amount of mullcake and in her words she was shitfaced, could barely walk let alone drive and over a 6 hour period she consistently tested negative. Needless to say she did not drive home. It was really interesting some of the individuals on a subjective scale of impairment stated that they were extremely compromised yet tested negative. Others said they where fine yet tested positive.

The problem I have with this whole issue is that the tests don't test for impairment but merely the presence of saliva thc levels that are not consistent across all individuals.
 
Sevoflurane said:
Was watching channel 10 news this evening and they reported that legislation for Roadside Saliva Testing in NSW had been passed today and that testing will commence July 1st 2006.

I personally will never condone driving whilst under the influence but it makes you think as to what is a safe amount of time after a big night out would it be to get behind the wheel. ie will traces in saliva still be enough 24 hours after a night out to return a positive sample?.

Me thinks it's time to put the taxi company on speedial

EDIT: (24/09/2006) Thread renamed for consistency with other roadside drug testing threads. hoptis
Click to expand...


Ive been driving for twenty years and Ive been tested for alcohol about three times. So the odds of getting tested for drugs are infintesimal however I dont drive under the influence of anything. Its a selfish and stupid act.
I do take issue with this move to test for drugs though because they are only testing for E, amphetamines, and pot. What about all the smack heads driving around? I saw a couple shoot up in their car from my window once and then drive off. Why arent they testing for smack? Im sure its much more dangerous to drive on. And also what about prescription pills such as valium?
The police say that it will be like drink driving and that people will be fined and banned from driving etc. but I think it is going to lead to harrassment of drug users and secondary charges such as using or possessing illicit substances will more than likely end up being laid which of course leads to a criminal record. No one has guaranteed this wont happen , they just say that if they have reasonable suspicion drugs are being carried that they can do a search. Well what is reasonable suspicion? A positive test is reasonable suspicion is it not? So if a person has a pill on them then there is a big chance of getting busted.
Another issue I have is the amount of time these drugs show in a persons saliva. If I went out on Saturday night and consumed several pills and then slept all day Sunday and then drove to work Monday am I likely to test positive? I havent been able to get any clear information on this.
I believe drug driving tests and sniffer dogs are just police bully tactics to intimidate users. They have lost the war on drugs, they have no way of ever stopping the big fish from manufacturing and distributing so they are now pulling out all stops and harrassing and intimidating the consumers.
Most people are obviously always a few steps ahead of course and just change their behaviours to avoid detection so it just ends up another tragic and shameful waste of precious resources which could be spent on other things.
 
Tresca said:
Ive been driving for twenty years and Ive been tested for alcohol about three times. So the odds of getting tested for drugs are infintesimal however I dont drive under the influence of anything. Its a selfish and stupid act.
Click to expand...

I've been driving for a year and a half and have been tested around 15 times... that said I do work nights and work an hour away from where I live.

I agree that drug /drink driving is selfish and stupid, I stick to a general 5-6 hour rule after pot... and I don't really do any other drugs except alcohol (where testers are available to see BAC), caffeine or tobacco. Hell if tobacconists sold swab testers that were relatively cheap and accurate I'd be happy...then I could find out my limits for myself.. ohwells I'll just deal with the infringement if she comes.
 
First conviction for drug-driving test
March 20, 2007 04:53pm

THE first random roadside drug testing unit to operate in NSW has recorded its first conviction.

The state's only roadside drug testing unit was established seven months ago, with a Winnebago van equipped to carry out tests for drug-drivers while carrying out random patrols throughout the state.

A 26-year-old Sydney man was today convicted of driving under the influence of cannabis after being tested by the unit near Mount White, north of Sydney, earlier this year.

Gosford Local Court was told that Matthew McMillan, of Glenwood, had failed a saliva test after being pulled over on the F3 freeway while travelling north at about 9.40am (AEDT) on January 22.

McMillan was found guilty of driving with illicit drugs present in his system and fined $500.

Magistrate Gary Cocks also disqualified McMillan from driving for 12 months.

NSW Police Force said it was the first time a conviction had been recorded for a person caught by the roadside drug testing unit since it was introduced in September 2006.
Click to expand...

News.com.au
 
Lol, amazing. One conviction. Why would they even bother reporting that.
 
yeah it just proves how inefective and inefficient the system must really be. Drug drivers take notice, every 7 months SOMEONE will get a fine lol
 
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