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Roadside screening tests from next month to detect drug-drivers
View(s):By Sohan Vipulananda
Roadside drug screening tests are to be introduced next month to detect those who drive under the influence of narcotics substances.
Transport and Highways State Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna said a drug screening test device would be used to detect drivers who had taken narcotics drugs or consumed alcohol.
He said the device would be put into use by January 15 after Cabinet approval was obtained in the coming weeks.
The state minister said the main purpose of the initiative was to minimise accidents and save lives.
“Motorists who drive under the influence of alcohol and drugs are responsible for more than 3,000 fatal road accidents in Sri Lanka every year,” he said.
The device would be first put into use in the Western Province which accounts for sixty percent of road accidents in the country. Later, the system will be implemented islandwide.
The device, also known as an oral fluid test kit, examines a sample of saliva to detect recent narcotics drug use by the driver. There is no need for on-the-spot blood or urine tests.
To roll out the project, five thousand test kits worth Rs. 10 million were donated to the National Dangerous Drug Control Board (NDCCB) by the National Council for Road Safety.
If the oral fluid test is positive, the driver will be produced before a state medical officer for further confirmation. After this process, the driver along with the reports would be produced in court.
A senior NDCCB official said that to expedite the process, a pilot project whereby a medical officer would be deployed together with police officers was being discussed.
He said the project would be implemented with the support of the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Health, the National Transport Medical Institute, and the Police.
Moratuwa University senior lecturer T. Sivakumar said he welcomed the initiative as people had become more concerned about the physical and mental health status of the drivers, especially after the outbreak of the Covid pandemic.
“Perception, intellection, emotion, and volition (PIEV) come into play when a driver reacts and applies brakes to bring a vehicle at high speed under control. A driver under the influence of liquor or narcotics substances would take more time to react and apply brakes and this would lead to fatal accidents,” he pointed out.
Not only alcohol and narcotics drugs, even cough syrups that induce sleep should be avoided by drivers, the expert said.
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