Driver drug testing: Scientists support roadside saliva tests

Scientists who analyse the samples of hospitalised and impaired drivers support the idea of roadside saliva tests for drug use, saying it is a good model for screening as long as it backed up by laboratory tests. The government is considering toughening up the laws around random roadside drug testing of motorists. ESR's analysis of blood samples of impaired drivers submitted by police over three and a half years showed nearly 60 percent had used cannabis and over 40 percent used methamphetamine. Helen Poulsen is a forensic toxicologist with the institute of Environmental Science and Research.