15 January 2025

Nearly 100 drug or alcohol-affected drivers caught on ACT's roads last month

| Albert McKnight
Join the conversation
23
crashed car

This car crash was one of the many driving incidents police were called to during December 2024. Photo: ACT Policing.

Causing crashes, speeding and watching videos on the phone while driving – these are the types of dangerous behaviours that drink and drug drivers were caught doing last month.

ACT Policing detected 98 drivers under the influence of alcohol or who had drugs in their systems in December 2024.

This operation follows an earlier one in November 2024, when almost 700 drivers were caught speeding in Canberra that month alone.

Officers from across the Territory had targeted impaired drivers last December, conducting more than 17,000 random breath and drug tests.

Officer in Charge of Road Policing, Detective Inspector Mark Steel, said it was disturbing that 98 drivers had been detected with substances in their systems. He said such reckless behaviour had to change.

“Nationally, last year impaired driving was a contributing factor in 30 per cent of all fatal collisions,” he said.

READ ALSO Woman charged over alleged fatal crash that killed tourism leader Jackie McKeown

Some of the incidents involving the 98 drivers make for chilling reading.

There was the 28-year-old who crashed after hitting a kerb and driving through a fence before coming to a stop in grassland. He returned a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.134.

A 53-year-old woman, who had already been suspended from driving, crashed before returning a BAC of 0.187.

There was a 33-year-old man, also already a suspended driver, who was watching videos on his phone while driving. He had a BAC of 0.172.

Another 28-year-old man crashed into a parked car, then returned a BAC of 0.104.

#police #stock #rbt

ACT Policing conducting random breath testing in December 2024. Photo: ACT Policing.

As a 31-year-old man was an international licence holder, he was subject to a zero-alcohol limit. However, he had a BAC of 0.255.

Also, a 28-year-old man was seen speeding, swerving over the road and mounting the kerb of a roundabout. His BAC was 0.227.

All 98 drivers were immediately suspended from driving in the ACT for 90 days and will face court at a later date.

Detective Inspector Steel said one driver found under the influence of alcohol at an RBT station was asked why he was drink-driving.

“He told officers he didn’t think he would encounter police on his way home,” he said.

“No-one should ever have the mentality that it’s OK to get behind the wheel and take the risk.

“Police will continue to target those who drive impaired, and I’d once again like to remind Canberrans that you can be caught anywhere, any time. If you run the risk, prepare to face the consequences.”

READ ALSO Log left ‘deliberately’ on road caused motorbike crash, police suspect

The ACT had 11 road fatalities in 2024, with the 11th being a 75-year-old who died just days before Christmas.

There have been no fatal crashes in the ACT so far this year.

police RBT

ACT Policing targeted drug and alcohol-affected drivers last month. Photo: ACT Policing.

Here are more examples of the 98 drivers caught with alcohol or drugs in their systems during December 2024:

  • An unaccompanied, 31-year-old female L-plater returned a BAC of 0.169
  • A 25-year-old male P-plater had a BAC of 0.195
  • A 39-year-old woman, who had already been disqualified from driving, recorded a BAC of 0.295
  • A 59-year-old man crashed before returning a BAC of 0.175.

Meanwhile, the start of 2025 means ACT police can now issue charges to drivers for driving under the influence of cocaine.

It took only eight hours for the year to start before the first driver was allegedly caught with the drug in their system.

Join the conversation

23
All Comments
  • All Comments
  • Website Comments
LatestOldest
Incidental Tourist5:01 pm 31 Jan 25

There is a fatigue of all these foolish limits like new 40km/h speed limit in Northbourne ave. Everybody know it’s the Gold revenue raiser speed camera and everybody pretend it’s there for “safety”. There is absolutely no evidence that that speed limit decreased incidents in this intersection. I won’t be surprised if incidents increased because of changing traffic conditions. Ironically speeding fine when driving there at 45 km/h can be higher than Court fine when knocking down a cyclist from the road sending them to a hospital bed. If you look at the cost alone, driving 5 km/h over speed limit with no harm to anybody is worse than driving over cyclist as long as you are within speed limit. There is a limit of bans when people simply start ignoring all rules including very risky drink driving unfortunately. If you really want to reduce drink driving then get rid of foolish regulations and leave only those which matter and save lives.

Further when are these self driving cars going to come so we can drive totally smashed?

Maybe the answer it to raise the alcohol limit to 0.08 like the UK so we have less offenders. Hmmm…..
Although if you have a crash with alcohol in your system then you should be punished!

98 people, extremely unlucky to be caught, here in Canberra you never see police cars and you never get stopped for random testing.

Very troubling that these alleged miscreants are still free to drive again. Suspensions or cancellation just don’t work. Technology holds the solution, trouble is the timidity of decision makers to mandate such solutions.

Wow “they were immediately suspended from driving”, that will keep other road users safe (when they were already driving suspended or disqualified).

98/17,000 = 0.58 per cent, I would not call that a high proportion. (Not, however, defending the 98 indiviual offenders.)

Logicalusername10:29 am 16 Jan 25

Early 2024 I visited Goulburn four times in four weeks concurrently, arriving morning and afternoon. Each visit I was randomly tested, either at a roadside test or police pulling me up. Last time in Canberra was 2020 new years morning….

I have not been tested for drugs or Alcohol for about 15 years

Capital Retro10:32 pm 06 Feb 25

Were you on day release?

Capital Retro9:18 am 16 Jan 25

If the caught 100 they missed another 1000.

Daily Digest

Want the best Canberra news delivered daily? Every day we package the most popular Riotact stories and send them straight to your inbox. Sign-up now for trusted local news that will never be behind a paywall.

By submitting your email address you are agreeing to Region Group's terms and conditions and privacy policy.