Citation

Hastings R, Boorman M. Proc. Road Saf. Four Continents Conf. 2005; 13: 13p.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, Conference Sponsor)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In Victoria the contribution of alcohol and other drugs to road trauma has been identified as a significant factor. Victoria acted to address alcohol related road trauma in the early 1960s by adopting a legislative framework based on the risk of collision involvement rather than on presence of impairment by prohibiting the driving of a motor vehicle with and blood alcohol concentration exceeding .05 per cent. In 1976 police were given legislative authority to randomly screen drivers for the presence of alcohol and prosecute drivers found with a blood alcohol concentration exceeding .05 per cent. The aim of the random alcohol screening program was not only to detect and prosecute errant drivers but to generally deter drivers from driving with blood alcohol levels that increase the risk of collision involvement. The past thirty years has seen a significant reduction of the contribution of to road trauma in Victoria through the general deterrent effect of this type of enforcement. The emergence of increased involvement of drugs other than alcohol in road trauma in Victoria led to legislation being introduced in 2000 to detect and prosecute drivers found to be impaired by drugs other than alcohol. Unlike the alcohol provisions, the drug impaired driving legislation is based on the recognition of observable impairment in drivers.