Mandatory blood tests for crashed Victorian drivers

[ayjay101]

Online News story

Victorian authorities are seeking to increase penalties for some hoon drivers.

From next month, all drivers involved in a crash will have their blood tested for drugs.

Victoria Police have confiscated more than 8,000 vehicles in the state since the introduction of anti-hoon legislation three years ago.

First time offenders have their car impounded for 48 hours.

After a third offence, police may apply to have the car permanently forfeited.

Seven people have lost their cars permanently.

Fifteen hundred cars were impounded this year alone.

The Bendigo region has topped the list for the highest number of vehicles impounded.

Suburbs also making the top ten for hoon offences include Broadmeadows, Werribee and Frankston.

Police say 58 drivers have had their cars impounded after being caught travelling more than 200 kilometres an hour.

Police Minister, Bob Cameron also wants drivers to lose their cars for up to three months if they are caught doing excessive speeds, rather than just 48 hours.

"We do want to make a move there to take cars off them longer because we know that the courts are going to be doing that in any event," he said.

Deputy Commissioner Ken Lay said they are sending a clear message to drivers.

"Police are removing around 50 dangerous drivers from our roads every week," he said.

"The anti-hoon legislation is about deterrence. Police would rather see an end to these offences than force people to watch their vehicles being towed away."

There were 448 people who have offended more than twice and 74 people who offended three times.

Around 80 per cent of drivers caught are under the age of 30.

The drug testing bit is obviously not the focus of the article, but this is a bit of a bombshell, no?

[ThunderIdeal]

is it true that blood tests will be negative if you are no longer intoxicated? if so it's only a bombshell for those who drive intoxicated.

[ayjay101]

is it true that blood tests will be negative if you are no longer intoxicated? if so it's only a bombshell for those who drive intoxicated.

These are mandatory drug blood tests, which I believe will show a positive for certain substances (ie: MJ) long after the affect has worn off.....

So if you've toked MJ sometime in the last 6 weeks and are unfortunate enough to have an accident, you will likey be prosecuted for having it in your blood at the time of the accident, despite the fact that it was not related to the accident at all!

[apothecary]

These are mandatory drug blood tests, which I believe will show a positive for certain substances (ie: MJ) long after the affect has worn off.....

So if you've toked MJ sometime in the last 6 weeks and are unfortunate enough to have an accident, you will likey be prosecuted for having it in your blood at the time of the accident, despite the fact that it was not related to the accident at all!

I think you are mistaking the difference between a blood test and a swab test. If they do a blood test it should only show up what's actually in your system right now. Swab test is the one which will test positive for much longer (i.e. 6 weeks for MJ).

[ayjay101]

I think you are mistaking the difference between a blood test and a swab test. If they do a blood test it should only show up what's actually in your system right now. Swab test is the one which will test positive for much longer (i.e. 6 weeks for MJ).

Cool, thanks for clearing that up.

It may still be slightly worrying for the regular MJ users out there:

Blood Testing

Cannabis is detectable in the blood for approximately 2-3 days after use in an infrequent user. Frequent use can be detected in the blood for approximately 2 weeks.

[Neoshaman]

I think you are mistaking the difference between a blood test and a swab test. If they do a blood test it should only show up what's actually in your system right now. Swab test is the one which will test positive for much longer (i.e. 6 weeks for MJ).

I always thought it was the other way around wouldn't a substance be present in the blood for far longer then saliva how does this work? Sorry if thats a stupid question but i was always under the impression that blood and urine had a longer detection period

In saying that I also wonder about the accuracy of saliva tests I know people who have driving after a toke and showed negative on a swab is there some suubstance e.g coke or mouth wash that screws up such readings?

[ayjay101]

I always thought it was the other way around wouldn't a substance be present in the blood for far longer then saliva how does this work? Sorry if thats a stupid question but i was always under the impression that blood and urine had a longer detection period

In saying that I also wonder about the accuracy of saliva tests I know people who have driving after a toke and showed negative on a swab is there some suubstance e.g coke or mouth wash that screws up such readings?

This was my understanding too and upon searching around the web for swab tests I've found a myriad of detection windows mentioned, from 1 day to 30 days... so I'm a little confused. Obviously it will depend on personal metabolism, cumulative uses and swab test types, but it seems hard to get consistent general stats.

[apothecary]

Well now you guys have made me feel like I've got it mixed up! But I was pretty sure? I mean if chemicals are still in your bloodstream you will still be affected by them right?

[Neoshaman]

Well now you guys have made me feel like I've got it mixed up! But I was pretty sure? I mean if chemicals are still in your bloodstream you will still be affected by them right?

I'm not real big on knowledge about the ciculatory system and the blood brain barrier but levels in the blood would need to be high enough to overcome things like MAO etc. I would assume

hence chemicals present in the blood would not necessarily effect a person if quanity was low enough that it couldn't pass the bodys defences

[freakazoid]

with regard to testing and MJ, it all depends on the metabolite they are testing for

i believe the mouth swab saliva type tests look for a different metabolite to one tested for in regular bloodscreens for employment e.t.c.

the swab test can only tell if you've toked in the past 6-8 hours (these are rubbery figures off the top of my head)

again, in a blood test, it will depend on which particular metabolite they're looking for, but in all honesty, if they did go for a generalized bloodscreen and the longterm thc metabolite came up on it then a lawyer would say "yes, your honour my client was at a party 2 weeks ago blah,blah" and the judge would nod and off you'd go

what i find more interesting is if they are genuinely going to bloodtest everyone in car accidents with a generalized screen then i think they will be amazed at just how many regular people out there are driving with "a little bit of this or that" in their bloodsteam

in fact it just might start to change the public's perception of "drugs" i.e. everybodys doing it

on the other hand, the authorities will be pairing traffic accidents and drug use so we'll see, i guess

[Neoshaman]

on the other hand, the authorities will be pairing traffic accidents and drug use so we'll see, i guess

this is what really concerns me more falsified info to try and justify the waste of money known as the War on Drugs

[faustus]

my impression was that it doesn't matter if you have a drug in your blood, provided that the concentration isn't high enough to indicate

you were intoxicated at the time of the crash?

[freakazoid]

my impression was that it doesn't matter if you have a drug in your blood, provided that the concentration isn't high enough to indicate

you were intoxicated at the time of the crash?

i guess for the individual involved in the crash this is a good thing but..

i remember a few years ago a family up the central coast of nsw drove into a ravine created when a section of the old princess Hwy was washed away, at the time it was reported that the driver tested positive post mortem for alcohol and cannabis ( i think) so us educated corroborians say so what about the alc. cannabs it was a RAVINE where there was supposed to be a road but sitting around a dinner table of "less educated about drugs" type people, they just go "yeah drunk and stoned wadya expect"

i can see this compulsory testing leading to some (dodgy)journo appearing on my tv in the not too distant future reporting on the "drug/crash epidemic" which is basically propaganda but very cleverly orchestrated

i'm kinda resigned to the fact that eventually one wall of the room i live in will be a giant eye staring at every thing i do