CANNABIS LINK TO FATAL ROAD CRASHES SHOWN

More than a third of drink-drivers killed in road accidents have
traces of cannabis in their blood, according to research issued
yesterday.

Statistics compiled by road safety researchers John and Margaret
Bailey show that 92 of the 266 drink-drivers killed between 1994 and
1996 had used cannabis within a few days of their deaths.

The research has confirmed a long-suspected link between cannabis use
and repeat drink-driving and exposed a disturbing level of recidivism
among people with one or more drink-drive convictions.

Four in 10 of the drivers killed had at least one previous
drink-drive conviction, while 20 per cent had two or more.

Of those with one or more convictions, 55 per cent had cannabis in
their blood. Sixty-one per cent of those who had two or more
convictions had cannabis in their blood.

People with two or more drink-drive convictions also had a high rate
of previous offending for dishonesty, violence and other driving
offences. More than half had driven while disqualified and been
caught speeding, nearly 40 percent had been convicted of careless
driving and a third had convictions for dangerous driving.

Dr John Bailey said the statistics highlighted the need for tougher
penalties and improved rehabilitation programmes for "hard core"
recidivist drink-drivers.

"Either we need stiffer penalties or we need some other way of
controlling these recidivist offenders," he said.

"Most of these people have got an alcohol problem and many of them
have a cannabis problem as well and in many cases people who have
those problems probably need medical help as much as punishment."

The Baileys' research also highlights a high rate of repeat offending
among a hard core who have two or more convictions for drink-driving
plus two for driving while disqualified.

More than a third of people in this category convicted of
drink-driving for the second or subsequent time between October 1995
and September 1996 had reoffended within three years.

Dr Bailey said the figures highlighted the problem of repeat
drink-drivers and a failure to deal with them.

A spokeswoman for Transport Minister Mark Gosche said he was
discussing an overhaul of sentences for repeat drink-drivers with
Justice Minister Phil Goff, and was not prepared to comment further
till that work was completed.