Police pulled over 12 drivers. Two had drugs in their system

Police caught two drivers with drugs in their system, as well as three who had unsafe vehicles, after pulling over only 12 in one operation in southern Canberra.

ACT Policing said officers conducted roadside vehicle checks, as well as alcohol and drug screening on Athllon Drive, Greenway, on Monday (22 July).

After only 12 roadside drug screening tests, two people were taken into custody for testing positive for illicit substances.

They will face court in the future, pending an analysis of the samples.

Also, three people were issued with defect notices for driving unsafely maintained vehicles.

A police spokesperson said that since Saturday (20 July), officers had five drivers return positive roadside drug tests, including the two drivers from Monday’s operation.

Officer in Charge of Road Policing, Acting Inspector Mark Richardson, said these numbers indicated that impaired driving remained an ongoing issue.

“You are responsible for the safety of yourself, your passengers and other road users, so to even consider driving while under the influence is an incredibly selfish act,” he said.

“To see that two people returned positive results to illicit drugs in their system from just 12 roadside drug tests is unacceptable.

“Impaired driving puts you at an increased risk of being involved in a crash, endangering not only your own life, but other road users who are making the right choices.”

He said these types of operations will be continuing and warned that those getting behind the wheel under the influence should “be prepared to be caught and face the full extent of the law”.

Six people have died due to crashes on the ACT’s roads so far this year.

Joshua Stewart, 19, died in January after the allegedly stolen vehicle he was travelling in was involved in a crash on the Barton Highway. A 14-year-old boy has been charged and is before the courts.

Tennis Canberra coach Alicia Celaya Jauregui was killed while riding her bike on Lady Denman Drive in March.

A flipped Toyota Camry was found in the middle of Adelaide Avenue in Yarralumla on 17 April, and a 15-year-old boy with critical injuries was found nearby. He was transported to hospital where he later died. Police recently confirmed he wasn’t the driver.

A 46-year-old male motorbike rider died after a single-vehicle crash on Brindabella Road on 21 April, and another was killed in a two-vehicle crash near the intersection of Sulwood and Athllon drives on 23 May.

Also, a 47-year-old died after a motorcycle and a light truck crashed near the intersection of Southern Cross Drive and Beaurepaire Crescent in Holt on 18 June.