2008 Annual Report - Queensland Police Service - Queensland ...

An officer tests a driver during a Random Roadside Drug Testing exercise.
Drug driving
Since random drug testing commenced on 1 December
2007, police have conducted more than 7 050 tests
across the State.
On average, 1 in 65 drivers tested positive to a relevant
drug (Methamphetamine—Speed, MDMA—Ecstasy, and
THC—Cannabis).
Drugs significantly affect motorists' skills and reaction
times, hindering the functions they require to drive
safely. This is another important step toward lowering
the Queensland road toll and preventing injury caused
by road crashes.
Road Safety Initiatives Package
The Queensland Government granted an extension
of the Road Safety Initiatives Package (RSIP) for the
2007-08 financial year. In total the Queensland Police
Service received an additional $15.6 million in funding.
RSIP funding provides an additional 600 officer hours
per day of non camera enforcement activity over peak
holiday periods (120 days in total). Remaining funding
is utilised to support the administration of the Traffic
Camera Office, and camera operations.
Rural and Remote Road Safety Study
During the 2007-08 financial year, the QPS continued
to support the Centre for Accident Research and Road
Safety Queensland’s Rural and Remote Road Safety Project.
This project commenced in mid 2003 and concluded in
mid 2008. As part of this study, researchers visited
North Queensland crash sites and with the in-kind support of
Queensland Health, interviewed hospitalised patients in
order to ascertain the circumstances immediately prior to
the crashes occurring.
The research findings provide significant insight into
the circumstances leading up to road crashes.
42 With honour we serve
Output3: Traffic Management