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Since roadside drug testing became operational across New Zealand from July 1, every driver can expect to be tested at the roadside, anytime and anywhere, for recent use of drugs, police warn.
As there is a “growing trend” of drivers who take drugs and then are involved in accidents resulting in deaths or serious injuries, roadside testing is a welcome additional tool to detect and deter drivers from causing harm on our roads.
“The positive effect of having road policing staff throughout New Zealand who can conduct roadside drug testing cannot be understated and is a major milestone in our ongoing efforts to improve road safety,” acting director of road policing, Inspector Peter McKennie says.
“We are fortunate to have a road safety tool that aligns with what we have for alcohol today and can occur alongside breath testing at checkpoints or other types of traffic stops. We know alcohol and drugs are leading contributors in deaths and serious injuries. The numbers don’t lie.”
In 2024, 73 fatal crashes resulted in 91 deaths where drugs were a contributing factor, twice as many fatal crashes and three times the amount of people who died from alcohol, McKennie says.
He acknowledges that the majority of public feedback has been positive and that police aim to address misinformation.
“The drugs that police can test for are drugs that can impair driving ability. The drug screening test itself does not measure impairment but identifies the presence of drugs at or above a limit that indicates the drug was used recently.”
‘Recent use’ is a time period following the use of a drug when impairment may be present in most individuals. The drug limits align with those in both the Australia/New Zealand and European Standards. A laboratory test confirms the roadside result, before an infringement is issued.
“Like alcohol, police cannot advise how long after taking a substance it is safe to drive. The time it takes for the effects of drugs to wear off can vary by a person’s physiology, drug type, dose, frequency of use and how it was taken,” McKennie says.
“The screening tests only need a small amount of saliva, about the size of a small water droplet. The pads on the tests have been verified as being biologically safe and have been no records of any harmful reaction with any person including the officers that use them.”
Police do not collect DNA from saliva samples and drivers will not test positive from passive or historical exposure, he confirms.
Since roadside drug testing began in December 2025 through to 30 June 2026, 4143 screening tests have been completed nationally with 134 tests returning a positive result and equates to a positivity rate of 3.2 per cent.
Drivers have a responsibility to collectively ensure we see a reduction of serious harm on roads, McKennie adds.
“We want everyone to get to their destinations safely. Don’t drive after taking anything that can impair your ability to drive safely.”
