Government needs to act on drug-driving - Whanganui MP Harete Hipango

Harete Hipango says the Government needs to act and introduce testing. Photo / File

Harete Hipango says there will be more deaths on the roads due to drug-driving if compulsory roadside testing isn't introduced.

Last week at a Coroner's inquest into the deadly Waverley crash it was revealed one of the drivers had consumed synthetic drugs on the morning prior to the two-vehicle collision that killed seven people.

Family members of those who died in the Waverley crash, and other families that have lost loved ones to drug-driving incidents, met with National leader Simon Bridges yesterday to discuss the matter.

"The current law and enforcement for drug-impaired driving is ineffective and weak, in 2017 it caused 79 deaths compared to 70 caused by drunk driving, yet there was only 200 convictions for drug-impaired driving compared to more than 16,000 for drunk driving," Hipango said.

The Whanganui MP said she supports Karen Dow's petition that seeks urgent introduction of random saliva testing for drug impairment.

Dow's 23-year-old son Matthew was killed in a crash with a woman who had been drinking and taking drugs before she got behind the wheel near Nelson on New Year's Eve 2017.

"Wairarapa MP Alastair Scott drafted a Members' Bill to achieve this but it was voted down last October by Labour, the Greens, and NZ First, with Green Party members describing it as 'too intrusive'", Hipango said.

"National want a proper roadside drug testing regime in place as soon as possible, and these changes need to be made before the Government attempt to liberalise access to drugs."