Question On Notice No. 3197 asked in the Legislative Council on 15 September 2020 by Hon Martin Aldridge
Question Directed to the: Minister for Environment representing the Minister for Police
Parliament: 40 Session: 1
Question
I refer to roadside drug and alcohol testing, and I ask:
(a) how
many random roadside drugs tests were conducted in each month from 1 July 2019
to date;
(b) how
many random roadside drugs tests were positive in each month from 1 July 2019
to date;
(c) what were the most common drugs detected;
(d) how
many random roadside drink driving tests have been conducted in each month from
1 July 2019 to date; and
(e) how
many random roadside drink driving tests produced results above the legal limit
in each month from 1 July 2019 to date?
Answered on 14 October 2020
The Western Australian Police Force advise:
(a) July 2019, 1865; August 2019, 3731; September 2019, 3545; October 2019, 4168; November 2019, 4649; December 2019, 2838; January 2020, 4043; February 2020, 4192; March 2020, 2179; April 2020, 557; May 2020, 1176; June 2020, 3332; July 2020, 1469; August 2020, 1622; September 2020 (till 22 September), 1214.
(b) July 2019, 475; August 2019, 461; September 2019, 461; October 2019, 514; November 2019, 542; December 2019, 498; January 2020, 489; February 2020, 564; March 2020, 396; April 2020, 231; May 2020, 266; June 2020, 465; July 2020, 334; August 2020, 280; September 2020 (till 22 September), 228.
(c) Methylamphetamine 3381 occasions; Cannabis and Methylamphetamine 763 occasions; Cannabis 565 occasions; Methylamphetamine and MDMA 90 occasions; MDMA 65 occasions; Cannabis and MDMA 39 occasions; Cannabis, MDMA and Methylamphetamine 23 occasions; and 304 matters pending a result as at 22 September 2020.
(d) July 2019, 143407; August 2019, 181968; September 2019, 193380; October 2019, 195227; November 2019, 193416; December 2019, 203058; January 2020, 180759; February 2020, 173237; March 2020, 109307; April 2020, 7477; May 2020, 19440; June 2020, 93132; July 2020, 99013; August 2020, 117475; September 2020 (till 22 September), 62607.
(e) July 2019, 578; August 2019, 581; September 2019, 564; October 2019, 643; November 2019, 709; December 2019, 679; January 2020, 709; February 2020, 698; March 2020, 506; April 2020, 291; May 2020, 456; June 2020, 734; July 2020, 743; August 2020, 902; September 2020 (till 22 September), 426.
Notes:
Statistics are provisional and subject to revision.
The statistics provided in this response are in accordance with the methodology and policy utilised by the State Traffic Command of the Western Australia Police Force.
A breath test means a test of a sample of a person’s breath (by means of approved apparatus) for the purpose of providing an indication of whether or not a person’s blood alcohol content is of or above a predetermined level or an indication of whether or not alcohol is present in the blood of a person.
Counts of breath tests resulting in ‘evidentiary charges’ indicate circumstances where a driver has undergone an evidentiary breath test which has resulted in a charge being preferred.
Results for “Random” tests also indicate “targeted” test results as during the COVID-19 pandemic, “random” testing by traffic personnel was ceased and targeted testing was adopted. Targeted and Random testing cannot be separated as they are recorded in the same manner.
An oral fluid drug test means a test of a sample of a person’s oral fluid (by means of approved apparatus) for the purpose of providing an indication of whether or not a person’s saliva contains an indication of the presence of a prescribed illicit substance or not.
Counts of ChemCentre WA analysis tests are the result of forensic toxicology analysis of samples from drivers who have provided a positive secondary drug test indicating the presence of prescribed illicit substance.
Breath and Drug test figures are correct at the time of data extraction.