One of the major criticisms of drug testing in South Australia on our roads is that it’s simply about revenue raising, while when conducted in our workplaces, drug testing is sometimes accused of being, dare we say it, a bottom covering exercise or a witch hunt.
For authorities and employers, however, conducting drug testing in South Australia is simply another way of improving safety on our roads and in our workplaces, and this is certainly a view we here at Integrity Sampling share. So, let’s take a look at why we believe drug testing is all about safety and why there is no place for drugs on our roads and in workplaces where safety is a priority.
Drug testing in South Australia saving lives
Here’s a simple and extremely graphic way of explaining how drug testing in South Australia can be a life saver and not simply a revenue raiser, bottom covering exercise or witch hunt: If you take methamphetamines and get behind the wheel to drive, you’re 40 times more likely to have a car accident.
To put this in perspective, if your blood alcohol is around 0.05, the standard legal limit in Australia, it’s estimated that you’re twice as likely to have a car accident if you get behind the wheel. That’s right; you’re 20 times more likely to have a car accident if you take ICE and get behind the wheel than if you drove with a BAC of 0.05!
That’s a staggering difference and is due to the affect ICE has on our brains and bodies. According to the Cracks in the ICE website, driving on ICE can give the driver (or motorcyclist) an increased sense of confidence and can lead to risk taking. At the same time, the driver’s skills are compromised due to reduced reaction times and concentration. Perception, judgement, problem solving, control and depth perception can also be affected, leading to erratic driving, weaving, speeding, tailgating and more dangerous driving behaviours.
This is just for ICE, however, other drugs can have similar or other compromising affects.
Which is why there’s no place for drugs on our roads or in our workplaces and it’s why drug testing in South Australia is a necessary tactic. It’s not the be-all-and-all; it needs to used alongside other tactics such as education and support, but drug testing on South Australia’s roads and in our workplaces is here to stay for good reasons.
Drug testing in South Australia’s workplaces
If you’re considering implementing drug testing in your South Australian workplace, give Integrity Sampling a call on 1300 725 482. We conduct drug testing across South Australia and can also help with other drug and alcohol management services, including education, development of procedures and policies, and alcohol testing.
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There are some South Australian workplaces where drugs simply don’t belong and drug testing is one way to help improve safety. Credit Ben Cooper https://www.flickr.com/photos/cycleologist/5021692452/
