POSTERS TARGET DRUGGED DRIVERS

THE State Government is optimistic about an education campaign aimed
at people who drive under the influence of drugs.

The Minister responsible for drug abuse strategy, Kevin Prince, said
yesterday a roadside test was several years away.

Recent surveys suggested that drugs had a significant effect on driver
performance and increased crash risk.

Driving under the influence of drugs is illegal but Mr Prince said
drugged drivers continued to get away with it because there was no
easy way of testing them.

"When the technology is available the enforcement will obviously beef
up," Mr Prince said. "(Until then) let's deal with it by education."

Mr Prince said manufacturers of roadside tests, particularly German
firms, were testing patches and saliva.

He was speaking at the launch of a campaign designed to discourage
people from driving if they are using legal and illegal
impairment-causing drugs.

The Drug Aware Drugs and Driving Education campaign, which is aimed at
people aged 17 to 25, is a joint initiative of the Road Safety Council
and the WA Drug Abuse Strategy Office.

Campaign posters developed with the help of youth reference groups
will appear in nightclub and pub toilets, universities and in
newspaper advertisements.