David Smith, 51, of Burra Road, Robertstown, South Australia, pleaded guilty in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court to possessing and using amphetamine and using a vehicle which did not comply with regulations.

Police pulled over Smith along Warrnambool’s Raglan Parade at 7.45pm on November 1 last year and found the Western Star prime mover B-double did not comply with regulations.

A computer download showed the vehicle was not compliant with speed limiting of trucks and at one stage the second-hand truck, which is owned in South Australia, had been driven at 154km/h.

In the truck fridge a small plastic container was found which contained yellow powder which Smith admitted was amphetamine. More of the same drug was found in Smith’s wallet and he admitted using the drugs at Heywood.

Smith told police the use of amphetamine was an insurance policy so he did not get wrapped around a tree or kill someone else.

Magistrate Jonathan Klestadt said it was clear that Smith was driving a vehicle with a speed limiter that had been remapped.

He said research showed that truck drivers who used amphetamine enhanced levels of concentration and endurance but users were liable to fall asleep without any of the usual warnings signs.

“You turn off like that,” the magistrate said, snapping his fingers, and explained he had been involved in such cases acting as a coroner.

Defence counsel John Perry said the truck computer had, since being pulled over, been reconfigured and his employer was paying for Smith to be represented in court.

Mr Klestadt said there was no suggestion Smith was personally responsible for remapping the truck or driving at 154km/h but as a professional driver he would have realised the truck was not limited to travelling at 100km/h.

He said the use of amphetamine in the trucking industry was a major concern and as a long-term professional driver Smith was not entitled to use performance enhancing drugs which put the defendant and everyone else on the roads at risk.

Smith was convicted, fined $1100 and lost his driver’s licence for two months.