Pubdate: Mon, 17 Nov 2003 Source: West Australian (Australia) Copyright: 2003 West Australian Newspapers Limited Contact: http://www.thewest.com.au Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/495 Author: Andrew Gregory Note: Readers may sign up to obtain news items as single items by email for these specific areas and/or topics: Australia, Canada, Latin America, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States and/or Marijuana News. Details at http://www.mapinc.org/lists/index.htm#news Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/area/Australia Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?224 (Cannabis and Driving) DRUG-DRIVERS FACE ROADSIDE TEST DRUG-AFFECTED drivers will be subjected to roadside tests and face tough penalties under a major change to road safety laws announced by the State Government yesterday. They can also have their car keys confiscated for up to 24 hours if drug use is suspected. Police will conduct vision tests for signs of prescription and illegal drugs when a new offence - driving while impaired by a drug - is introduced next year. Officers are being trained to test for nystagmus - an involuntary movement of the eye which can indicate recent drug use. The legislation is yet to be drafted but penalties for drug-driving will be the same as for drink-driving. Penalties for driving under the influence of alcohol range from a minimum $250 fine and possible three-month licence suspension to 18 months jail, a $5000 fine and lifetime driving ban for serious repeat offenders. Police Minister Michelle Roberts said research had shown that almost 10 per cent of deaths on WA roads involved prescription or illegal drugs. Mrs Roberts said Cabinet had approved the drafting of amendments to the WA Road Safety Act, which will be introduced to Parliament next year. The legislation will make it easier for police to test for drugs using saliva-testing machines like those on trial in Victoria. She said targeting drug users would make roads safer. "We expect the new improved methods of roadside testing under this program to help directly in reducing the rate of fatalities and serious injuries on WA roads," she said. The State Government also released its five-year road safety strategy called Arriving Safely. Road Safety Council chairman Grant Dorrington said reducing WA's road toll would depend on the whole community. The strategy canvasses ways to combat the four main causes of accidents - excessive speed, alcohol, not wearing seatbelts and fatigue. It said the effect of drug use on a driver's performance was hard to measure. The strategy also warned that as the number of older people rose, the problem of road trauma involving them also would rise. Shadow road safety minister Katie Hodson-Thomas said she welcomed any measures aimed at ensuring motorists were not driving under the influence of drugs. She said the Government's moves to decriminalise cannabis use made such measures even more important. "We have been calling on the Government to do that for some time," Ms Hodson-Thomas said. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake