One of Australia’s leading road safety experts has warned against “oversimplifying” drug-driving policy before the science and tools are ready, after one state announced transformational changes to its cannabis laws.
Teresa Williams, president of the Australasian College of Road Safety (ACRS), argued that governments must prioritise developing better ways to detect impairment and ensure any reforms strengthen, rather than weaken, road safety.
It comes after NSW announced this month it will seek to introduce legislation that takes “a common sense” approach to medically prescribed cannabis and road laws.
That includes a three-strike strategy, which the government said would allow registered medicinal cannabis users to continue driving with low amounts of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) in their system.
It aims to recognise that some users may still test positive despite using their medication lawfully.
That announcement sparked a national debate on the matter.
And while most experts acknowledge prescription marijuana users have the right to hold a licence and drive when unimpaired, they say that must be balanced against clear road safety risks.
Williams described the issue as “complicated” and told Yahoo News Australia that approaches from governments must reflect those complexities.
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Teresa Williams, president of the Australasian College of Road Safety (ACRS), warned against “oversimplifying” drug-driving policy before the science and tools are ready.
(Supplied)How does THC differ from alcohol in road impairment?
THC in cannabis cannot be measured in the same simple, reliable way alcohol impairment can be, which has long been assessed using established roadside testing tools.
“THC isn’t that straightforward,” William explained.
“We shouldn’t be trying to fool ourselves or trying to simplify this issue when, in actual fact, it’s quite complicated.”
“You can’t establish that, for example, the presence in one person will or won’t be impairing them, and the same level of presence in somebody else can be having a different effect.”
That means impairment will vary depending on the person and dosage.
“Senior people tend to be one of the bigger cohorts that use prescription cannabis, and one study did show that even when they had high levels of tolerance, their key skills, like keeping in your lane and reaction times, were actually impaired,” she said.
“But that’s not necessarily to say it would be true of all road users, so you know it is complicated.”
Independent NSW MP Alex Greenwich, who is a medicinal cannabis user, previously told Yahoo News that under NSW’s current rules, people faced “a tough choice between taking their medication and risking their licence or job.”
Drivers would be spared their licenses under NSW’s bold new reform.
So, then, how can we balance the needs of prescription cannabis users and road safety?
Williams said we need to go “back to the basics”.
“Like many countries, Australia has committed to eliminating death and serious injuries on our roads by 2050,” she said.
“So in that context, with that target, when we are making decisions, shouldn’t the burden be on not taking risks?
“Shouldn’t we be reducing any avoidable risk, not normalising it, which is what is starting to emerge in some of the options regarding changing rules?”
Teresa Williams with Reece Whitby MLA, the Western Australian Minister for Police, Road Safety, and Tourism.
(Supplied)Where to from here?
Williams argued that the burden should be on decision-makers to demonstrate that any change to driving laws will genuinely improve road safety, rather than simply being convenient, popular, or aimed at addressing the concerns of a particular group of advocates.
“I think we do need to invest in technology or science that can develop something for us,” Williams said.
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“For example, I’ve got a vehicle that tells me if it thinks that I’m not holding the wheel firmly enough, or that I’m being a little bit relaxed in my lane keeping — that’s great, because I might be impaired from being tired.
“So if technology can’t get us to a point where police have the right tools to test your level of impairment roadside, then maybe more has to go into making sure that the checks and balances in our vehicles, in our roadsides, in the infrastructure are going to reduce that risk before we introduce a risk.”
Williams said that, ultimately, “the bottom line is that the evidence is saying two things at once”.
On one hand, it’s saying that THC can impair driving, but presence alone does not always prove impairment.
“So that means that you can have it present but not necessarily be impaired,” she said.
“Except THC does impair driving. So at the end of the day, good policy, good lawmaking has to protect all road users.
“We shouldn’t be pretending that the science is simpler than it is.”
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