Booze not only problem on roads

Full marks to the New Zealand Transport Agency for its new advertising campaign targeting drugged drivers.

The new advertisements, which show the reactions of secretly-filmed New Zealanders when they are told the driver of the car they are in is high on drugs, signify long-overdue recognition of the problem with drugged drivers on our roads.

While the efforts around reducing the number of people getting behind the wheel after drinking have been both admirable and largely successful, the issue of drugged drivers has largely been overlooked - until now.

The new advertisements also serve as further proof the NZTA has recognised the shock tactics used in previous graphic road safety advertisements are no longer working.

If you judge the effectiveness of an advertisement by the number of people talking about it, the anti drink-driving "ghost chips" advertisement has been a runaway success.

Similarly, the new television segments effectively get the message across about drugged drivers, without resorting to blood and gore.

It's clear there is an issue that needs to be addressed.

Since 2009, 384 drug-driving notices were issued by police, while the number of crashes and injuries caused through drug-driving is also thought to have steadily increased.

But it's hard to understand how it got to the point where a separate education campaign was needed.

Surely it would have been easier and more effective to have simply incorporated the drug and alcohol messages years ago into one "catch-all" road safety campaign.

It may have even saved some lives.

After all, it's the same set of habits and thought processes that road safety authorities are trying to change - the belief of many drivers that they can safely control their vehicle while under the influence, and the perceived social stigma of handing over your car keys because you've drunk too much.

Thankfully, there's been some success in changing people's attitudes around drinking and driving, to the point where host responsibility and looking after your mates has now become the norm in most social situations.

Unfortunately we still have drink drivers our roads. All drink drivers convicted in Tauranga District Court are named and shamed in the Bay of Plenty Times.

With any luck, the new television campaign will ensure more people choose to stay off the road when they're under the influence - be it the influence of alcohol, or drugs.