South Australia Police along with their interstate counterparts have completed the first national day of drug testing, targeting heavy vehicles as part of Operation Austrans, according to SA Police.
The nationally coordinated operation has a focus on drugs, alcohol, driver fatigue, traffic and compliance offences in the heavy vehicle industry.
In South Australia, 531 drug driver screening tests were conducted on Monday, 20 March resulting in nine positive drug tests returned.
Superintendent Anthony Fioravanti, Officer in Charge of the Traffic Support Branch, says police are concerned that one in 59 heavy vehicle drivers are taking to our roads under the influence of illicit drugs.
"Drivers think that drugs will help them stay awake on long journeys, but the fact is drugs adversely impact on their ability to operate their vehicle safely.
"Taking drugs, such as methamphetamines, will affect physical skills such as reaction times, co-ordination and vehicle control.
"These drugs also affect mood, perception, information processing and judgement, significantly increasing the likelihood of a collision.
"In collisions between large vehicles and small vehicles, the occupants of the smaller vehicles are more likely to be seriously injured than the occupants of the larger vehicles.
"Heavy vehicle drivers using drugs are selfishly putting other road users in greater danger."
In addition, police from Hills Fleurieu Highway Patrols also detected a B-double driver with an alleged blood alcohol reading of 0.025 (required to be zero) on the South Eastern Freeway at St Ives during the national day of drug testing.
More than 4,200 drug tests were conducted nationally with 63 positive drug tests returned in total, giving a national detection rate of nearly one in 68.
