❓ WA Parliamentary Question on Notice regarding road crashes involving drug-affected drivers, providing data on fatalities, injuries, and noting limitations in assessing impairment and economic cost.
AnsweredQoN 495Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) For each financial year since 2021–22, how many road crashes in Western Australia (WA) were identified as involving a driver under the influence of drugs? Please provide the number of: (a) fatalities; (b) serious injuries; and (c) minor injuries? (2) What is the estimated economic cost to WA from road crashes linked to drug-driving for each financial year since 2021–22?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
14 October 2025
Responded by
Minister for the Environment representing the Minister for Police
Response time
7 days
(1)
Crash Type
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
2025-26
Fatalities
16
36
38
67
10
Serious Injuries
372
704
808
892
61
Minor Injuries
26
28
31
32
1
(2) The cost of road trauma is calculated using the willingness-to-pay method, which is a large-scale estimate based on the aggregated and averaged amounts that a representative sample of individuals are prepared to pay for reduced risk.
Notes:
· The test conducted only provides the measure of drugs and gives no assessment of impairment as there is no agreed metric scale for levels of drug presence that equates to impairment. The Western Australia Police Force usually need to defer to expert advice when prosecuting for drug driving offences in court.
· Drug impaired driving can include under the influence of prescribed medications
· These results may include drugs that were administered by paramedics prior to the blood sample being taken.
· Statistics are the distinct count of drivers subject to a drug test as a result of the crash types Fatal Crashes, Serious Crashes and Minor Crashes between 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-24 and 2025-2026 YTD, where YTD is from 01 July 2025 to 22 September 2025.
· The statistics include results for surviving drivers only and do not include decreased drivers. The deceased driver toxicology results are the property of the State Coroner and not reported here.
· The definition of fatal crash for the purpose of these statistics is defined as one where a person is killed immediately, or within 30 days as a result of injuries sustained in a road crash incident.
· A serious crash is defined as a crash where a person involved is admitted to hospital as a result of serious injuries.
· A minor crash is defined as persons sustaining no or minor injuries as a result of the crash.
Crash Type
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
2025-26
Fatalities
16
36
38
67
10
Serious Injuries
372
704
808
892
61
Minor Injuries
26
28
31
32
1
(2) The cost of road trauma is calculated using the willingness-to-pay method, which is a large-scale estimate based on the aggregated and averaged amounts that a representative sample of individuals are prepared to pay for reduced risk.
Notes:
· The test conducted only provides the measure of drugs and gives no assessment of impairment as there is no agreed metric scale for levels of drug presence that equates to impairment. The Western Australia Police Force usually need to defer to expert advice when prosecuting for drug driving offences in court.
· Drug impaired driving can include under the influence of prescribed medications
· These results may include drugs that were administered by paramedics prior to the blood sample being taken.
· Statistics are the distinct count of drivers subject to a drug test as a result of the crash types Fatal Crashes, Serious Crashes and Minor Crashes between 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-24 and 2025-2026 YTD, where YTD is from 01 July 2025 to 22 September 2025.
· The statistics include results for surviving drivers only and do not include decreased drivers. The deceased driver toxicology results are the property of the State Coroner and not reported here.
· The definition of fatal crash for the purpose of these statistics is defined as one where a person is killed immediately, or within 30 days as a result of injuries sustained in a road crash incident.
· A serious crash is defined as a crash where a person involved is admitted to hospital as a result of serious injuries.
· A minor crash is defined as persons sustaining no or minor injuries as a result of the crash.
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