❓ WA Parliamentary Question on Notice regarding random roadside drug and alcohol testing statistics for 2017-18 and 2018-19. The response provides monthly data on tests conducted and positive results, as well as the most common drugs detected.
AnsweredQoN 2358Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(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?
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?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
3 September 2019
Responded by
Minister for Environment representing the Minister for Police; Road Safety
Response time
9 days
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 1 st 2017 to June 30 th 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 1 st 2017 to June 30 th 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.
(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 1 st 2017 to June 30 th 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 1 st 2017 to June 30 th 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.
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