Roadside Drug Testing to Begin by End of Year Following Legislative Approval
Police in New Zealand are set to begin roadside drug testing by the end of the year after the enabling legislation passed its third reading in Parliament. With methamphetamine use in New Zealand reaching record highs, as revealed by wastewater testing, the introduction of roadside drug testing is seen as a necessary measure to curb impaired driving and improve road safety.30% of road deaths in recent years involved drivers who had consumed impairing prescription or illicit drugs. This legislative approval is a step in right direction.
Transport Minister Chris Bishop acknowledged that this was not the first attempt to introduce roadside oral fluid testing. Previous efforts were stalled due to incompatibility between the approval criteria and available commercial testing devices. Now, with updated regulations, police will be equipped with screening tools to enforce drug-impaired driving laws more effectively.
“We know that drugs are a major factor in many road deaths and serious injuries,” Bishop stated. “We had a go back in 2022, but the approval criteria were incompatible with commercially available devices. We’re now making sure police have the tools they need to enforce road safety.”
How the Road Side Testing Will Work
Under the new system, police will have the power to conduct random roadside drug tests without needing prior suspicion—similar to drink-driving enforcement.
- Drivers will be required to undergo an initial roadside oral fluid test using approved devices.
- If the first test is positive, a lab specimen will be collected. And a secondary test will also be performed
- If both tests are positive, the driver will be prohibited from driving for 12 hours to mitigate immediate safety risks.
- A laboratory confirmation test will be required before issuing an infringement penalty.
- Refusal to undergo drug screening will result in an infringement penalty.
The Government’s Land Transport Policy Statement has set a target for police to conduct 50,000 oral fluid tests per year, with full implementation expected by December 2025.
A Step Forward for Road Safety
Bishop emphasized the urgent need for action, citing statistics that around 30% of road deaths in recent years involved drivers who had consumed impairing prescription or illicit drugs.”I think we will look back in five to ten years and wonder what the fuss was about,” he said.
As the implementation process unfolds, discussions will continue on balancing road safety with civil liberties. One thing remains clear: addressing drug-impaired driving is a pressing issue that requires both legislative action and public awareness.
Proactive rather reactive , is the key message to workplaces. Some workplaces only have just cause or post incident drug testing regime. We ought to take lessons from this legislation that it is time to be proactive. Testing can be done and in a much more respectable way and fitness for work and drive safely is the concern for health and safety.
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