ACT Policing is targeting alcohol and drug impaired driving this month as part of our multi-agency road safety strategy.

With 1,357 drunk drivers and 116 drug impaired drivers removed from ACT roads during 2013, roadside alcohol and drug screening is a key strategy in ACT Policing’s approach to road safety.

Traffic Operations Sergeant Rod Anderson said high-visibility patrols along with unmarked police vehicles will be conducting both targeted and random alcohol and drug screening.

“Roadside alcohol or drug screening can happen anywhere and at any time – and any vehicle could be an unmarked RBT vehicle. If you think you can avoid police by driving home using back streets, think again – every police vehicle is equipped to be a mobile breath test station,” Sergeant Anderson said.

“Alcohol and drug impaired drivers pose the highest risk on our roads; by removing these drivers we reduce the potential for serious injury or fatal collisions on our roads.”

About 5.30pm last night (May 7), police conducted a roadside breath test on a 33-year-old Rivett woman on Sulwood Drive, Kambah. The woman returned a positive result and was conveyed to Tuggeranong Station for a breath analysis, which returned a high-range result of 0.183. The driver explained she had been on her way to pick up her daughter from childcare. The driver was identified as a repeat offender and will face the ACT Magistrates Court at a later date.

“Drivers should know by now that it’s drink or drive, not both. If you do choose to drive impaired by alcohol or drugs, you not only risk your life and the lives of others, you will be caught and face the full consequence of your actions.”

Impaired drivers are required to appear before the court and face fines of up to $1,650 (alcohol) and $1,100 (drugs) for first time offenders, imprisonment, or both. Repeat offenders face harsher consequences with fines up to $2,200 (alcohol) and $2,750 (drugs), imprisonment, or both. An offending driver can also face a loss of their driver’s licence for a period specified by the court.