Citation

Mills L, Freeman J, Davey J, Davey B. Accid. Anal. Prev. 2021; 159: e106231.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.aap.2021.106231

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Roadside Drug Testing (RDT) is the primary strategy utilised in Australia to detect and deter drug driving. RDT operations have been expanding and evolving in Queensland since their introduction in 2007, with the number of tests increasing by 5.63 times between 2009 and 2019. The objective of this paper was to explore trends and characteristics of the 60,551 positive results detected in Queensland's RDT program (from January 2015 to June 2020), which focuses on the detection of Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), Methylenedioxymethylamphetamine (MDMA) and methamphetamine (MA). The analysis indicated that (over the entire testing period) MA was the most common drug detected in isolation (39.4%), followed by THC (34%) and the combination of MA and THC (21.9%). When considering detections with two or more drugs, MA was present in 64% of detections, THC in 59% and MDMA in 1.8%. THC was most commonly detected among younger drivers (e.g., aged 16 to 24), while MA was most commonly detected with drivers aged 25 and 59 years. Analysis of sociodemographic and contextual factors revealed that positive roadside tests were most commonly associated with males who had consumed methamphetamines, aged between 30 and 39 who were driving a car on a Friday or Saturday between 2:00 pm and 6:00 pm. The findings provide some indication as to the extent of drug driving within Queensland (and growing use of MA) and have clear implications for enforcement activities, not least, directing sufficient resources to address the burgeoning problem.

Keywords: Cannabis impaired driving, Ethanol impaired driving; Drug impaired driving; Driving under the influence of drugs

Language: en

Keywords

Drug driving; Queensland; Roadside drug testing