Government's own research highlights Cannabis driving risks
Research conducted by the NSW Government has reinforced concerns about the road safety ramifications of its own new cannabis driving laws, with a majority not using the drug as prescribed by their doctor.
The little-known research of over 5,000 drivers found 54 per cent of people using prescribed cannabis were misusing the drug by taking a higher dose, taking it for recreational purposes, increasing the frequency of use or taking it without their own prescription.
The NRMA is today calling on the NSW Government to immediately reconsider its reforms into cannabis use and driving.
Given the growing road safety risks presented by the new policy if it is implemented, the NRMA is also today calling for a significant injection of resourcing to the NSW Police to double the number of roadside random drug tests across the state.
Nearly 40 per cent of those using cannabis with a prescription also used illicit cannabis. Around 80 per cent were told by their doctors not to drive after using medically prescribed cannabis. Alarmingly, 45 per cent of those still drove within six hours of taking the drug.
The NRMA has long been opposed to watering down drug driving laws in NSW. Today, the organisation has called for:
- The doubling the number of roadside drug tests to 400,000 annually
- The immediate public release of the government’s evidence to support the reforms
- Extending the post-crash drug testing to include serious injuries and release the data publicly
- A guarantee that the Community Road Safety Fund will not be used to fund the Government’s new drug driving regime; and
- An immediate audit of the Community Road Safety Fund expenditure.
NRMA spokesperson Peter Khoury said the NSW Government had remarkably chosen to withhold publicly releasing its options paper and all evidence to support the new law.
“Normalising drug driving flies in the face of a rising road toll to which it is now a greater factor than drink driving,” Mr Khoury said.
“Given the road safety risks of this policy the Government needs to significantly enhance Police enforcement.
“If there is enough money in the budget to create a new layer of bureaucracy to implement the three-strikes-and-you’re out regime, then there should be enough to boost enforcement.
“It is also critical that the cost of implementing the new cannabis driving policy not be funded through the Community Road Safety Fund.
The legal requirement for spending that Fund is to enhance road safety. Given the Government’s new policy is likely to make our roads less safe it is absolutely critical not one cent from the Fund is used for this policy.”
