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Parliamentary Questions


Question On Notice No. 2358 asked in the Legislative Council on 6 August 2019 by Hon Martin Aldridge

Question Directed to the: Minister for Environment representing the Minister for Police; Road Safety
Parliament: 40 Session: 1


Question

(1) How many random roadside drugs tests were conducted in each month from 2017-18 and 2018-19?
(2) How many random roadside drugs tests were positive in each month from 2017-18 and 2018-19?
(3) What were the most common drugs detected?
(4) How many random roadside drink driving tests have been conducted in each month from 2017-18 and 2018-19?
(5) How many random roadside drink driving tests produce results above the legal limit in each month from 2017-18 and 2018-19?

Answered on 3 September 2019

The Western Australian Police Force advise:

(1)-(2) The number of drug tests conducted on drivers was 30 986 in 2015/16 and 34 523 in 2016/17. This increased to 37 780 in 2017/18 and 40 544 in 2018/19.

 

Monthly totals of Drug Tests and Positive Tests from July 1st 2017 to June 30th 2019 (inclusive).

 

Month             (1) Preliminary Drug Tests        (2) Positive Preliminary Drug Tests

July 2017                    2 200                                       276

August 2017                2 906                                       358

September 2017          2 985                                       310

October 2017             3 676                                       332

November 2017          4 010                                       334

December 2017           3 256                                       339

January 2018              2 974                                       344

February 2018            3 544                                       375

March 2018                 4 213                                       445

April 2018                   2 580                                       339

May 2018                    3 856                                       322

June 2018                    1 580                                       251

July 2018                    3 223                                       383

August 2018                3 260                                       520

September 2018          3 746                                       462

October 2018             3 693                                       461

November 2018          4 051                                       452

December 2018           3 579                                       453

January 2019              3 384                                       381

February 2019            3 069                                       332

March 2019                 3 141                                       366

April 2019                   3 879                                       431

 

(3) The WA Police Force advise that the most common drugs detected are methamphetamine, THC and MDMA.

(4)-(5) The number of alcohol breath tests conducted on drivers was 1 826 454 in 2015/16, and 2 012 787 in 2016/17, rising to 2 323 252 in 2017/18 and 2 185 928 in 2018/19.   The Road Safety Commission recommends approximately one breath test for each licenced driver in the state. Monthly totals of Breath Tests and Positive Tests from July 1st 2017 to June 30th 2019 (inclusive).

Month                  (4) Preliminary Breath Tests (5) Positive Evidentiary Breath Tests

July 2017                    175 146                                   685

August 2017                195 510                                   764

September 2017          203 102                                   730

October 2017              231 137                                   814

November 2017          244 119                                   786

December 2017           318 241                                   936

January 2018               221 226                                   623

February 2018             187 826                                   677

March 2018                 198 280                                   721

April 2018                   151 047                                   606

May 2018                    88 497                                     498

June 2018                    109 121                                   625

July 2018                    170 935                                   639

August 2018                174 981                                   668

September 2018          208 806                                   750

October 2018              170 722                                   556

November 2018          163 770                                   628

December 2018           246 082                                   746

January 2019               209 533                                   579

February 2019             148 341                                   521

March 2019                 213 027                                   674

April 2019                   179 205                                   562

May 2019                    153 682                                   601

June 2019                    146 844                                   627

 

Statistics are provisional and subject to revision. Preliminary drug tests are used as identifiers for further evidentiary testing (secondary tests and then ChemCentre WA analysis tests) which forms the evidentiary basis of preferring a charge for driving with a prescribed illicit drug. Not all positive preliminary tests will result in positive results for secondary tests or ChemCentre WA analysis.