Thursday, 14 November 2019

In reply to  Mr GRIMLEY (Western Victoria) (31 October 2019)

Ms TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education):

Drug driving is a critical road safety challenge for Victoria, and this Government is committed to addressing this challenge, and building a safer roads system for everyone.

One in four Victorians who use drugs admit to driving under the influence of drugs. Last year, around 60 per cent of drivers and riders who were killed on our roads, were found to have impairing drugs or alcohol in their blood. This does not include other road users who lost their lives as a result of impaired drivers.

Acknowledging that drug driving continues to be a major contributor to deaths and road trauma in Victoria, we are currently working to implement the commitments made in the 2019-2020 Community Safety Statement to ensure drivers charged with serious driving offences are removed from our roads. We are also considering what further measures may be needed to address drug driving and support Victoria’s ongoing efforts to reduce road trauma. The number of drug tests conducted by Victoria Police has increased from 40,000 tests in 2014 to 150,000 tests in 2019. We’re also training and allocating more police to highway patrol to undertake drug testing in more locations.