Are police equipped to catch doping drivers?

WHILE South Africans have developed a healthy fear of breathalysers at roadblocks, a common belief has emerged that the system can be circumvented by using cannabis and other drugs, which elude detection by standard alcohol testing devices.

- RHYS EVANS

Unfortunately, this assumption is correct - most standard police roadside checks can't detect drugs, creating a serious problem as substance use increases nationwide.

Quantifying drugged driving in South Africa is challenging due to the absence of systematic testing. Unlike alcohol, where breathalyser technology is common at roadblocks, there's no routine drug screening. This extends to post-accident investigations, where comprehensive substance analysis isn’t consistently applied, leaving reliable data scarce.

Even without exact figures, anecdotal evidence suggests a worrying situation. With widespread drug use and decriminalised private cannabis consumption, road safety is at risk. Given that police aren't visibly testing for drugs at roadblocks, drivers likely believe they can use drugs and drive without consequences.