Significant upward trend in drug driving charges

Release date: Wednesday 23 October 2024

Link to report summary: Trends in drug driving charges, roadside drug testing and drug use in NSW, 2008-2023

New research by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) has found that the number of people proceeded against by NSW police for drug driving offences has grown significantly over the last decade.

In 2014, 1,409 people were proceeded against for drug driving. In 2023, this number had risen to 13,815; an increase of 836 per cent.

The study identified two main reasons for the growth in drug driving charges in NSW: (1) two expansions of the Mobile Drug Testing (MDT) program which increased testing volumes from around 20,000 to 156,000 tests per year; and (2) a recent increase in the detection rate from around 2-3% to more than 10%, due to police targeting repeat drug driving offenders.

There is no evidence that recent trends in drug driving charges are driven by changes in drug use or drug driving behaviours.

Commenting on these findings, Jackie Fitzgerald, Executive Director of BOCSAR, said the study provided evidence that police continue to prioritise the safety of motorists. However, despite the NSW MDT program being one of the largest roadside drug testing programs in Australia, the volume of tests is still small relative to the number of registered drivers. This may limit the general deterrent effect of the program.

For comment please contact:

Jackie Fitzgerald, Executive Director, NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics & Research.

Phone: +61 423 139 687
Email: jackie.fitzgerald@dcj.nsw.gov.au

About Mobile Drug Testing in NSW

Mobile Drug Testing was introduced in NSW in 2007 along with a new suite of offences for driving a motor vehicle with a prescribed illicit drug present in a driver’s system. These changes improved the ability of the NSW Police Force to identify and proceed against drug driving offenders, as previously they could only charge an offender with driving under the influence of a drug based on a subjective assessment of the driver’s level of intoxication. Similar to Random Breath Testing (RBT), it was anticipated that the high visibility of roadside drug testing would increase the perceived risk of detection amongst drug drivers thereby reducing drug driving behaviours. The Mobile Drug Testing program in NSW is now one of the largest roadside drug testing programs in Australia, representing a quarter of all roadside drug tests undertaken nationwide.