New Zealand roads will soon see drivers tested for cocaine, methamphetamine and cannabis via random roadside saliva tests, after a new piece of legislation passed its third and final reading today.
In 2023, there were 138 fatal car crashes where a driver's drug use were a contributing factor.
Critics say the technology for picking up on the presence of drugs has inconsistent results, and that a simple saliva test cannot accurately assess impairment.
Emile Donovan speaks to the chairperson of the NZ Council for Civil Liberties Thomas Beagle.
Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson
