Drugged driver prosecution numbers low

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Catching drugged drivers appears to be an elusive task in Rotorua with just seven caught and charged in the Rotorua police area last year.

Police are now able to detect and charge drugged drivers due to the Land Transport Amendment Act 2009.

But numbers caught, including in Rotorua, have been on the low side in the seven years since the changes.

As well as the seven in 2016, nine people were charged in 2015 and three in 2014.

New Zealand has one of the world's highest rates of cannabis use. Two-thirds of cannabis users admit to driving under the influence, according to the NZ Transport Agency.

Senior Sergeant Nicola Riordan of the Rotorua police said it was hard to determine or pinpoint why the numbers of drug drivers caught in Rotorua were low.

"When someone is pulled over and they are impaired by alcohol, it is quite evident.

"That's not always the case with drivers who are under the influence of drugs. Someone has to be pretty impaired before you can ask them to take an impairment test. It is not as obvious as alcohol."

Police can breath test any driver for alcohol at any time. If this test is passed and police believe the driver is impaired by drugs, the driver will be required to undertake an impairment test, which assesses their physical behaviours.

Police must follow three steps. Firstly, they must have good reason to suspect a driver, such as swerving across lanes. Police can then get the suspect to undergo a compulsory impairment test (CIT). This consists of behavioural tests - the "walk and turn", one leg stand and an eye test.

Drivers will be required to undergo an evidential blood test if they don't complete the CIT satisfactorily. A positive reading for any drug resulting in a court appearance may result in penalties similar to those for drink driving.

Bay of Plenty road policing manager Brent Crowe said the science behind detecting impaired drivers continued to improve which would allow police to become more adept at getting impaired drivers off the roads.

While used overseas, the technology is still advancing. The New Zealand Drug Foundation website states "current saliva testing kits are time-consuming to administer and not sufficiently reliable to be used in a criminal justice application".

Mr Crowe said no one should have to share the roads with someone who can not properly control a vehicle.

"Due to their selfish actions and complete lack of good judgement, an impaired driver's chances of hurting themselves or others exponentially rises because their driving skills and reactions times are significantly reduced."

People charged with drugged driving in Rotorua
2016: 7
2015: 9
2014: 3
2013: 15
2012: 11
2011: 5
2010: 9
2009: 0