The Drug Driving: Don’t Risk It campaign will educate drivers about the ACT’s roadside drug testing arrangements and the consequences of being caught. The campaign includes television, cinema and radio advertisements as well as print and social media materials.

Television / cinema commercials

Warning – these ads contain scenes of drug use, and should be viewed by mature audiences

Print materials

Drug driving brochure [PDF 2.2 MB]

Drug driving poster [PDF 1.5 MB]

The dangers of drug driving

There is a range of evidence linking drugs to elevated crash risk.  Drug use can slow down your reaction time, causing a distorted view of time and distance and also stimulate the nervous system which can lead to a reduced attention span, and the sudden onset of fatigue as the stimulant effects wear off.

Drug driving is a significant contributing factor to many serious road crashes in the ACT. In 2014, four of the ten road fatalities in the ACT involved a driver or motorcycle rider with drugs in their system. In that same period, ACT Policing conducted 2,520 roadside drug tests which resulted in 392 positive tests.

The proportion of drivers tested for drugs, who are returning a positive result, has also increased significantly jumping from 4.9% in 2013 to 16.1% in 2014. 

Roadside drug testing

Roadside drug testing contributes greatly to improving road safety by deterring and removing drug affected drivers from ACT roads before their behaviour leads to death or serious injury. 

Roadside drug tests indicate the presence of THC (one of the active ingredients in cannabis), methamphetamine (speed and ice) and MDMA (often found in ecstasy).  Unlike alcohol, where there is a legal limit, any trace of these drugs in your system while driving is an offence.  Drivers can face a number of serious penalties for drug driving offences including heavy fines, loss of licence and imprisonment.  

Drugs can stay in your system long after you take them, so you could test positive hours or even days after consumption.

It is important to remember that other substances may contain banned substances. For examples, hemp, or industrial hemp, may contain low levels of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) as it is a Cannabis Sativa plant species. 

Health support

If you or someone you know is concerned about drugs or alcohol there are several treatment, support and information programs available in the ACT.  24/7 information and support is available through ACT Health’s Alcohol and Drug Services Intake Line – 02 6207 9977 (ask for the Alcohol and Drug Services when calling).  

The 24 Hour Intake Line is staffed by specialist alcohol and drug workers and provides:

• information on alcohol and other drugs and associated issues;
• advice on assisting people who may have alcohol and other drug issues; and
• support to people affected directly or indirectly by alcohol and drug use.  

For a href="http://www.directory.atoda.org.au " target="_blank" >http://www.directory.atoda.org…