28 November 2023
RACHEL PAYNE — To ask the Minister for Corrections (for the Minister for Police):
In relation to driving while impaired:
(1) How many Victorians in the past 12 months have —
(a) been charged for driving while impaired;
(b) been convicted for driving while impaired;
(c) used the medical defence as outlined in section 49(3B) of the Road Safety Act 1986;
(d) been disqualified from driving due to impairment and been a medicinal cannabis patient;
(e) been charged for driving while impaired in relation to the following substances that they were not prescribed —
(i) opioids;
(ii) benzodiazepines;
(iii) psychostimulants;
(iv) abapentinoids; and
(v) other intoxicating substances;
(f) been charged for driving while impaired in relation to the following substances that they were prescribed and taken as prescribed —
(i) opioids;
(ii) benzodiazepines;
(iii) psychostimulants;
(iv) abapentinoids; and
(v) other intoxicating substances.
(2) How many roadside impairment tests have been conducted in the past 12 months.
Written Answer
Received: 12 February 2024
Hon. Anthony Carbines (Minister for Police, Minister for Crime Prevention, Minister for Racing)
I thank the member for her questions.
Data from the Magistrates’ Court Victoria shows that for the period of 1 December 2022 to 30 November 2023, there were 7,152 individual case numbers for drug driving.
I am informed the Magistrates’ Court Victoria is not in a position to provide any data in relation to the number of Victorians who used the medical defence as outlined in section 49(3B) of the Road Safety Act 1986 or the number of Victorians who have been disqualified from driving due to impairment and being a medicinal cannabis patient, as this data is not captured by the court’s current case management system.
The Victoria Police LEAP system only records traffic offences (including impaired driving offences) when criminal charges are laid at the same time. Traffic charges will be retained within individual Victoria Police workplaces; however, these are not aggregated and are not be reported on.
Regarding the number of Drug Impairment Assessments conducted by members in the field, I can advise 107 were reported to the Road Policing Drug and Alcohol Section for the 12 months between November 2022 – November 2023.
[ENDS]
