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- By Jim Birchall
Drivers across Franklin and northern Waikato could be stopped and tested at any time as New Zealand’s new roadside drug testing regime rolls out further nationwide.
The expanded programme is expected to have particular relevance in Franklin, where
state highways and busy rural roads connect, carrying thousands of commuters and freight operators every day.
Police have begun using roadside saliva screening devices to detect recent use of drugs including cannabis (THC), methamphetamine, MDMA and cocaine, alongside existing alcohol breath-testing operations.
Road Policing Senior Sergeant John McCarthy told the Times that the ongoing drug
screening will be:
“Randomly conducted at checkpoints alongside breath testing and can also occur following the detection of a road safety offence, including speeding, or a crash.”
If a driver returns a positive result, a second saliva sample is collected and sent to a laboratory for evidential testing.
Drivers who return two positive roadside tests can be prohibited from driving for 12 hours while further analysis is completed.
The new powers address a significant road safety issue, as Transport Minister Chris Bishop explains.
“[Approximately] 30 per cent of road deaths involve an impairing drug. If you take drugs and drive, you are putting innocent lives at risk, and we will not tolerate it.”
Police Minister Mark Mitchell says officers have spent months training staff and refining procedures.
“Rolling out drug tests is a practical step toward safer roads,” he adds.
According to the Ministry of Transport, alcohol and drugs continue to play a major role in serious crashes.
In 2024, there were 119 fatal crashes, 463 serious injury crashes and 959 minor injury crashes where alcohol and/or drugs were identified as contributing factors nationwide.
These resulted in 143 deaths, 620 serious injuries and 1459 minor injuries.
Road safety experts say impairment can significantly reduce reaction times, affect judgement and increase the likelihood of a crash.
However, some advocacy groups have raised concerns as tests can detect drugs after an impairment ‘high’ has passed.
This appears to be confirmed by the NZ Drug Foundation, which notes roadside saliva testing identifies recent exposure rather than measuring actual impairment at the time.
Detection times can vary significantly depending on such factors as the substance and frequency of use.
Cannabis may be detectable for around 12 hours in occasional users and up to several days in frequent users while methamphetamine and MDMA may be detectedfor one to four days after use.
Police can randomly test any driver.
Refusing a roadside saliva test results in an infringement offence carrying a $400 fine, 75 demerit points and an immediate 12-hour driving prohibition.
Medicinal cannabis users may also return positive roadside tests if their medication contains THC.
While a medical defence may be available for prescribed use, drivers can still be prohibited from driving for 12 hours.
The government has set an initial target of 50,000 roadside drug tests annually nationwide as part of its broader strategy to reduce deaths and serious injuries caused by impaired driving.
