New ad asks: Is drug driving a problem?

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Thu, 12 Jan 2012 6:01p.m.

The adverts target drug users and those who turn a blind eye

The adverts target drug users and those who turn a blind eye

By Jerram Watts

A new advertisement campaign is about to hit the airwaves in the fight against drug driving.

In a move away from scare-tactics, the New Zealand Transport Authority's new ad puts the question to Kiwis: Is drug driving a problem?

The ads show unsuspecting actors getting into vehicles, thinking they are going to a costume fitting.

Instead, it is their driver who is the real actor, pretending to be high on drugs.

The adverts focus on the different reactions of the passengers.

The NZTA says the adverts are not just targeted at drug users, but at those who turn a blind eye.

NZTA’s Andy Knackstead says if we look at the attitudes towards drug driving now, they are very similar to the way people thought about drink driving 25 years ago.

“There's a lot of complacency,” he says.

The New Zealand Drug Foundation found over half of all party drug and cannabis users think that being high does not affect their driving ability.

“No matter what type of drug you're taking it does impair your ability to drive,” says Mr Knackstead.

Results of a recent study of the blood of deceased drivers in New Zealand show 31 percent of drivers had used cannabis.  

Eighteen percent had used alcohol with another drug and 14 percent had used other drugs.

Since new legislation was introduced two years ago there have been just 384 drug driving offence notices issued by police, compared to almost 50,000 drink driving prosecutions in the same period.

The Automobile Association’s Mike Noon says there needs to be roadside saliva testing available to police now, “so we can catch those drug drivers slipping through the cracks”.

At this stage it looks like this method could still be some years away.

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Comments

19 Jan 2012 05:15p.m.

Mike wrote:

Impairment is impairment, regardless of the cause.

We need to get the drunks off the road and the stoners. We need to toughen up the laws so our laws have some teeth as currently its not enough to stop the criminals. Much of the drunk problem is repeat drunks and much of the drug problem will be repeat drug takers.

When someone says a little drug taking is not a problem they are wrong. What happens when they mix a bit of weed, a bit of alcohol, a bit of other drugs - none in a particular high amount individually but together its a coctail for disaster. Already the Police are finding people who are impaired badly enough their driving is visably bad enough to pull over, yet they are passing the alcohol breath testing, so probably they have been taking other substances.

We also need to crack down on other problems that make our road unsafe. eg using a mobile phone while driving is illegal, yet there are 1000's on NZ'rs still doing it. We also have a significant number of road accidents where smokers are distracted by the fag in their hand, be it lighting it, taking drags from, dropping ash everywhere ... Driving while tired is also a significant problem which can impair drivers abilities.

I remember the boyfriend of a girl at work, was age 23 and had over 30 drink/drive convictions. He would drive drunk, get another conviction, turn up to court or not and lose his already lost license and continue to drive drunk. The courts are a joke!

19 Jan 2012 11:05a.m.

Mark wrote:

People who drive while high are not a problem. i cannot speak for other drugs, but when you drive while high from weed, you know you are impaired, so you drive much more cautiously. Drunk drivers are the main problem that needs to be tackled. i see them all the time. Police really need to focus their efforts on the drinking that has become a real problem in this country. Although i do agree that people shouldn’t get baked and drive, the reality is that they are only putting themselves in danger by getting lost, and when the munchies strike you have to get food. People have all these negative ideas about weed, but it doesn’t effect you like alcohol does, if you concentrate, the effects lessen. Marijuana is just a safe and fun way to relax; i don’t know anyone who would go to work high, even if it were legal. You wouldn’t be able to get anything done. Out government really needs to consider that legalisation will help bring down the hard drug use such as P, because you don’t have to talk to a dealer who might introduce you to these things. The safest thing our government could do would be to legalise it and educate the people on appropriate use. Educate, Control, Legalise. Peace

16 Jan 2012 01:53p.m.

Kiwi Keith wrote:

Well done to the makers of this ad which signals the need for more action on this big issue.
Regulation and enforcement are needed but education is the way to go.

13 Jan 2012 11:54a.m.

Safe Kiwi wrote:

Any driver apparently not driving up to required safety standard on our public road should be stopped and asked to walk along a straight line by the NZ police. This exercise will prove whether this driver is "sober' enough to be on our road....

13 Jan 2012 10:47a.m.

Ricardo wrote:

Any impairment or distraction is dangerous when commanding a ton or two of steel at 100kph.

13 Jan 2012 08:27a.m.

bOb wrote:

I think some how people can relate drink driving with driving while on drugs the commercials surely must be able to be made to kill both birds with one stone. If they focus it purely on drug takers most of that group will probably just scoff at the commercials trying to pick on drug users when most know even tho drugs cause some problems alcohol by large causes huge problems regarding driving accidents and violence in this country.

13 Jan 2012 08:01a.m.

Nick wrote:

The stoned driver makes me laugh. and he says hes going to drive slow because he is baked. That's not dangerous. people that he tells he is baked just laugh.

12 Jan 2012 08:19p.m.

bukster wrote:

Drug driving is obviously unacceptable. However, we have lost so many civil liberties in the name of the 'war on drugs', I'm concerned this is warming us up for another bite from what liberty we have left. Those stats about blood samples from dead drivers don't show if the drugs were a factor in the death. A residue of a joint smoked two weeks ago might count towards that 31 percent stat and make for a scary figure to wave at the public, but it doesn't mean the driver was impaired. In any case, please don't use drugs and drive. It's damn stupid and leads to more demonisation of responsible drug users. I believe most drug users responsible. However, those aren't the ones shown in the media. So if you like to smoke a joint, have a good time and DON'T drive afterwards.