Blitz detects 20 positive drug tests in eight hours
South Australian police detected 20 truck drivers operating vehicles while under the influence of drugs in a one-day road safety blitz on Monday.
In addition to the drug charges, police also handed 27 vehicle defect notices and made two arrests.
The operation took place at various locations in suburban Adelaide including Wingfield, Dry Creek, Waterloo Corner and Largs Bay.
“To detect 20 truck drivers with drugs in their system in an eight hour time frame, all driving heavy vehicles, is scary,” Traffic Support Branch investigations manager Billy Thompson says.
“These are drivers in an industry where operators and managers are fully aware of their safety responsibilities and legal requirements.”
The operation was part of police’s ongoing road safety initiative targeting heavy vehicles.
“Heavy vehicle drivers using illicit drugs, such as amphetamines, may think that will help them stay awake, yet these drugs can adversely impact on their ability to operate their heavy vehicle safely.
“Methamphetamines affect reaction times, co-ordination and vehicle control as well as mood, perception, information processing and judgement.
“The presence of major or minor defects in any vehicle also increases the risk of causing a road crash.
“When heavy vehicles collide with a smaller vehicle, such as a car or motorbike, the results can be catastrophic.
“As the mass of one of the vehicles in a crash increases, so too does the severity of the crash.”