One in 37 Victorian truckies tested positive to drugs in a police operation targeting heavy vehicle drivers this week.
Acting Superintendent of Road Policing Operations Stuart McGregor said the results revealed an alarming picture of a “drug culture” within the industry.
“In Victoria, 295 drug driver screening tests were administered on Monday with eight heavy vehicle drivers returning a positive result,” he said.
“Alarmingly, that is one in 37 drivers that just should not be driving on our roads.”
Ballarat's Highway Patrol members are out in force today focusing on freeways around the city.
Operation Austrans has been co-ordinated annually since 1989 and sees a focus on truck and other heavy vehicle drivers across the state for drugs and alcohol, traffic, fatigue and compliance offences.
Drug testing was conducted nationally with 63 positive drug tests returned, or one in every 68.
Act Supt McGregor said that the results have revealed that despite efforts to eradicate driver drug use, there is a core group of heavy vehicle drivers putting the community at risk.
“None of us want to think that the 12 tonne truck approaching us at 100km/h on the freeway is under control of a person impaired by illicit drugs,” he said.
