Get drug driving drill right & use it
 
The Government's drug driving bill, though ridiculously weak on preventive measures, provides relief and human rights for many crime victim's who'll now have hope of official recognition, say Candor Trust.

Drug driving killers and maimers regularly walk free from our Courts, after facing no serious charges, while victims who've previously been denied the access to justice wail (if even informed drugs may have fueled the violence).

Two people are dead today because a Candor supporters relative drove drugged "off her face".  Is it right that Candor knows this but the victims families were never privy to that info?

The offender was never drug tested or charged with the drug driving crime, it was privately confessed. Surviving family members of those smashed into metal coffins have in the past, most often, never ever known why. 

The cause of the 2 homicides, committed by a Candor supporters relative wasn't properly investigated, and will never be entered in Official statistics. The killer (typically) retained her keys.

Legion other drug drivers have repeatedly retained keys, pursuant to inapt careless driving charges, then killed. 

This Bill can bring about truth in charging, and sanity in sentencing, by enabling crime detection and a proper analyses of NZ crash factors. It will thereby shine a light on a previously taboo but major problem. 

Blood tests of drivers killed in the NZ road toll over the last 2 years for a Police study revealed that 48% died UI alcohol or illicit drugs. Drugs were a more frequent finding than alcohol at a 33% detection rate.  

By comparison only 18% of UK drivers dying between 1996-2000 had used illicits, a rate that triggered panic bells and urgent action 3 years ago there.

Risk exposure facts finally coming out

Christchurch Health and Development study researchers lately concluded that driving under the influence of cannabis posed a greater risk to drivers under 25 than drink driving. This is confirmed by Police's drug driving study.  

First, there were marked differences in the frequency with which respondents reported driving under the influence of cannabis and alcohol. Rates of driving under the influence of cannabis were 2.5 times higher than rates of driving under the influence of alcohol in the 1000 strong survey group.

A September 2007 survey of 200 random road users by Candor Trust workers found;

49% of those surveyed who were under 25 said they sometimes drive drugged

drug drivers reported twice as many crashes as the users who never drive drugged

6% of those surveyed had driven while they were smoking P or used it on a brief rest stop

heavy use of marijuana often in the form of hashish oil characterised the crashers

although marijuana intoxication gives higher odds of being responsible in a crash than P use
the P users (who more often cocktailed drugs) had the worst driving records of all.

60% of drug users believe they are unlikely to get caught drug driving
Candor believes the bill is grossly under powered given the magnitude of the problem. Providing Police with only an additional $600,000 yearly, to address what is potentially a billion dollar drain and a huge youth killer is bizarre. 

The victims who survived drug drivers, with spinal injuries or just graves & white crosses to visit are disappointed. 

Field Tests have the disadvantage of really only detecting gross impairment reliably. Unlike alcohol drugs can impair people without any outward signs. This is why people can be fooled into feeling OK about a designated drug driver.  

Candor say saliva testing technology should be available to Police for use as a screening test at crash scenes, if field tests are impractical there. 

Saliva tests are sufficiently advanced now to give a strong indication and fast when blood levels of cannabis (the main concern) are likely at impairing levels. They can be calibrated to prevent detection of likely unimpaired users.

This law amendment has been sought by victim's and road safety groups for many years. The Government promised an education campaign to commence earlier this year. It ought to have been, given ignorance about drug risk is our biggest road killer. 

A major campaign since Britain discovered it's drug driving problem (half the size of hours) reduced the number of deceased young males in Durham with drugs in their blood, from 50% to zero. Malaysia has also slashed tolls of the target population by half via use of roadside urine drug tests. 

The hold up for action & main reason our legislation and funding looks lackadaisical is;

“Road Safety Resource Allocation Model” experiment.  Investigating Organisation;  Ministry of Transport

Commenced; 1995     Progress; Active     Scheduled Completion;  Ongoing

The failing aforementioned road safety experiment is the probable cause of tardiness, despite constant expressions of good intentions, also the reason NZ is roundly excluded from the 4% yearly toll reductions enjoyed elsewhere.

The study has seen a cheap test case road safety program implemented here, with horrific results for road users- but Government seems reluctant to "pull the plug". The "RAM" or Resource Allocation Model trial noted above disallows introduction of “new issues,” Candor understands. New variables might contaminate the findings.

We already know the findings – since 2000 we've seen 40% more injury crashes, this years death toll is increasing, social cost of crashes have gone from 3 to over 3.3 billion.

To put a white flag where the white crosses are will require major action against drug driving. Not Police funding equivalent to the cost of but one fatal crash for 2008, flung at an issue NZ Police say was causing at least 16% of fatal crashes 3 years ago.

 ends

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