An emergency medicine specialist and toxicologist says road-side drug testing is a good idea in New Zealand - but that current spit tests would likely miss two of our biggest killers.
Scotland has this week announced it will introduce road-side drug testing of drivers this year, prompting some to ask whether it's time for New Zealand to follow suit.
Dr Paul Quigley, speaking this morning to TVNZ 1's Breakfast programme, said drug testing is a good idea, but that current technology is lacking and would likely miss things like synthetic cannabis and prescription drugs.
"We're very concerned at the level of impaired drivers on the road from drugs," Dr Quigley said.
Shocking figures from the AA have prompted calls for roadside saliva tests.
"It's all very well going down the road, but if you've got these drugs on board, you lose your ability to react quickly."
Dr Quigley said that prescription medicines are necessities from day-to-day for many people, and that alternative transport options such as subsidised taxis or improved access to public transport should be considered and encouraged.
Road-side drug tests would "give the police a tool", he said, but that tool would need to be used as part of a wider approach to drug impairment.
"If you have a road-side test it only picks up a very few drugs, with cannabis being the most common one detected ... it can pick up the amphetamines as well and the drugs known as opiates - morphine, heroin, fentanyl and so on.
"But it won't detect synthetic cannabis - and we know that is a major problem on our roads at the moment.
"You would also need to provide that with a good impairment test, which would also pick up drivers that are sleepy or on prescription medicines."
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