Cocaine drivers avoiding being caught in Victoria Police swab tests

Currently, in Victoria, the only way that drivers under the influence of cocaine can be caught is to test them by "walking in a straight line" and "balancing on one leg".

The drug-drive test kits now available to Victoria Police allow drugs including ice, speed, MDMA, ecstasy and cannabis to be detected, but not cocaine.

Police sources say roadside cocaine tests would save lives, but the cost of the testing equipment is stopping Victoria Police from having the capability. The Police Association says it is open to cocaine tests.

Figures show ­almost a third of all drivers and motorcycle riders who died on our roads had drugs in their system. - Herald Sun

TPAV Secretary, Wayne Gatt, said "while drugs such as MDMA and amphetamine were more represented in fatal accidents, there was support to broaden how many drugs should be tested.

“The use of any drug, including cocaine, that impairs driving is of obvious concern to us,” he said.

“We are open to increased drug-type testing, but the first priority of our members is to see an increase in the overall number of tests conduced each year and to arrive at a point where all patrol vehicles have the capacity to conduct oral drug tests, as is the case with alcohol.”

The full story originally appeared in the Herald Sun by Aleks Devic on January 22, 2018