The use of methamphetamine has emerged as the latest drug driving issue on Canberra's roads, with the stimulant drug detected in well over 45 per cent of drivers who tested positive on the roadside this year.
The significant spike in ice and speed found in ACT drivers comes after a prolonged period in which cannabis was the most prevalent drug detected during roadside testing.
However, the proportion of methamphetamine-affected drivers was even higher than 45.5 per cent because one-third of all drivers testing positive this year were detected with two or more drugs in their drug wipe samples, the most common being both cannabis and speed/ice.
Methamphetamine and cannabis (26.9 per cent) were the most common combination, followed by methaphetamine and MDMA (2.9 per cent) and all three prohibited drugs (1.2 per cent).
Of equal concern was that more than one in every four drivers tested for drug-driving in the ACT this year recorded a positive reading. Police conducted 2434 tests to the end of October, with 695 positive readings, corresponding to a "hit rate" of 28.5 per cent.
This compared with a drink-driving "hit rate" of one positive in every 26 drivers tested.
The growing prevalence of methamphetamine detected among ACT road users posed a significant road safety issue given how the drug affected driver behaviour.
In a comprehensive panel study in 2004 by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reviewing how various drugs affected driving behaviour, it was reported people driving on methamphetamine experienced "drive-off-the-road type accidents, high speed, failing to stop, diminished divided attention, inattentive driving, impatience, and high risk driving".
"Significant impairment of driving performance would also be expected during drug withdrawal," the study found.
"Impairment was attributed to distraction, disorientation, motor excitation, hyperactive reflexes, general cognitive impairment, or withdrawal, fatigue and hypersomnolence."
While cannabis roadside detection in the ACT still remained high - currently running at 51 per cent so far this year, up from 44.4 per cent in 2019 - the data revealed the January 31 change to drug laws in the ACT had not had a profound knock-on effect.
Since the laws changed, people in the ACT over the age of 18 could possess up to 50 grams of dried cannabis, grow up to two cannabis plants per person and use cannabis at home.
The ACT was the final jurisdiction nationally to set up random roadside drug testing back in 2011. A swab of the driver's saliva detected the presence of cannabis, speed, ice or ecstasy. The ACT tests did not pick up cocaine, heroin or synthetic drugs.
Data released to The Canberra Times by ACT Policing revealed of the 695 positive drug driving tests to the end of October 30 this year, 45.5 per cent detected ice or speed (methamphetamine), 20 per cent detected THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, the main psychoactive compound in cannabis) and 10 per cent MDMA (ecstasy).
