Drug drivers in Western Australia will face an immediate 24-hour driving suspension under new rules.
From February 26 anyone who provides a positive roadside test to an illicit substance or refuses to take a roadside drug test can be immediately suspended from driving. Breaching the 24-hour prohibition notice will result in a $600 infringement.
“By automatically taking drug drivers off the road for 24 hours, we are removing an immediate risk that may exist for other road users,” said Road Safety Commissioner Adrian Warner.
“Police have always had the power to take someone off the road if they considered that person to be a risk to other drivers, but this new legislation takes a tougher stance and works to the assumption that if you have drugs in your system, you are a risk to the community and will be taken off the road immediately.”
The 24-hour driving ban is a measure to enhance road safety and will not replace existing drug driving penalties.
