Schoolies heading to Victoria's surf coast face drug-drive tests

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sto…8-2862,00.html

Schoolies heading to Victoria’s surf coast face drug-drive tests

Aleks Devic

October 09, 2008

POLICE last will and testament test schoolies for drugs in a line the popular surf coast occidental of Melbourne this year.

The drug bus at Lorne will be a first for the Surf Coast and is part of a raft of measures in a bid to cut anti-social behaviour for the period of the end of the reprove leavers’ party, the Geelong Advertiser reports.

Surf Coast Traffic Management Unit Leading Senior Constable Nigel Morrison said police would also run several drink-drive operations in Lorne and Torquay, during the two week schoolies period.

He said police would also focus on speeding motorists and getting fatigued drivers along the road.

Sen-Constable Morrison aforesaid police from Melbourne would set up the drug bus in Lorne, which enabled them to conduct wandering roadside saliva testing to detect drivers travelling under the influence of illicit drugs including ecstasy, cannabis and speed.

"We haven’t assayed for drugs into a denser consistence here before so we don’t be sure how big of a problem it is," Sen-Constable Morrison said.

"But drugs are an number printed everywhere and if people are driving while on drugs this year, they will be caught."

Victoria was the first state to introduce random drug testing in December 2004.

Random drug testing will be conducted in a similar highway to random breath tests for alcohol.

For a first drug-driving offence, offenders receive a $322 on-the-spot-fine and lose three demerit points.

Subsequent apprehension against drug-driving will see offenders front to court where they can obtain fines of up to $12,892.