Drug driver spike

184822_02

By Kyra Gillespie

Cardinia Highway Patrol members have reported a spike in drug driving in the region.

Police are now nabbing one drug-affected driver for every 1.8 tested, around a 30 per cent spike on figures from earlier this year.

The unit has had to double their drug testing kits due to the increase in demand.

Where they would usually nab around 50 in a month, they are now catching over 100.

In August, they caught 24 drug drivers and one drink driver in a single week.

On one occasion, a 35-year-old Pakenham man was caught driving under the influence of illicit drugs, where a preliminary drug test returned a positive result to methamphetamine.

Over the weekend a 21-year-old Garfield man was caught driving an unregistered and unroadworthy vehicle and was also found with meth in his system.

This Monday just gone police engaged in a pursuit with a drug-affected driver, who was detected travelling 122km/h along Kooweerup-Longwarry Road. He too tested positive to the recreational drug.

Police say the figures are a result of a combination of increased police activity and a rise in offending drivers, with methamphetamine and cannabis the most frequently detected drugs in the area.

Detectives also believe dealers are lacing cannabis products with methamphetamine, resulting in police netting more drivers with the hard drug in their system.

Offenders caught driving under the influence of drugs can expect to receive a minimum punishment of a 6 month licence suspension and $484 fine.