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RELATED: Fatal incident underlines the risks
POLICE nab a drug-influenced driver every day in the south-west.
The alarming statistic is clear evidence that drug-driving is a bigger issue than previously thought, with motorists habitually putting themselves and other road users at risk.
The issue was highlighted last week when a four-day south-west police operation nabbed 14 drug-drivers.
Drink-driving has been the region’s biggest road safety issue for years but during last week’s initiative no alcohol-influenced motorists were found despite thousands of tests.
With support from south-west, Melbourne and South Australian-based police officers, testing sites were set up at Mortlake last Wednesday, Hamilton on Thursday, two South Australian border crossings on Friday and Camperdown on Saturday during the four-day Operation Cross Border.
Warrnambool police division Investigation, Response, Tasking and Coordination Inspector Paul Ross said more than 190 drug-drivers had been arrested since July 1 last year. The result of last week’s operation – 14 drug-drivers – was worrying.
“We are a little bit disturbed about the high number of positive tests and will focus our resources on that specific area during the next couple of months,” Inspector Ross said.
"That's certainly a high number compared to drink-driving. We were very pleased we did not detect any drink-drivers. The problem is the high number of drug hits.”
Inspector Ross said police now had an increased ability to test drivers for drugs.
“Since July 1 last year we've had just short of 200 positive drug tests in the police western region which covers the municipalities of Warrnambool, Moyne, Corangamite, Southern Grampians and Glenelg," he said.
Inspector Ross said the oral fluid tests targeted cannabis, amphetamine (ecstasy, speed and ice) and opiates such as heroin.
"Drivers assume that other people using the roads are in full control and there have been dozens of people driving around under the influence of drugs," he said.
"It's certainly an emerging problem. Community attitudes to alcohol have changed over the past 20 years but drug-impaired driving is a growing issue.
“It has now been recognised as a problem and we will be deploying a lot of resources to address it."
Inspector Ross said there needed to be a cultural shift in relation to drug-driving.
“Drugs are a problem that cut across socio-economic boundaries and impact on many people,” he said.
He said almost 200 drug-impaired drivers was a very high number.
"Those figures highlight the need for increased enforcement and the work that needs to be done to change community attitudes towards drug-impaired drivers,” he said.
"Drivers will see a lot more drug testing both here and statewide in the effort to make all road users safer.”