Are we Entering a New Phase of Roadside Risk – One that Directly Mirrors What Workplaces Are Now Facing? 

Drug driving has been quietly surging in the background for more than a decade, creating a growing safety threat for both the community and employers. In 2026, roadside drug detections in Victoria are now ten times higher than alcohol detections, showing that drug use behind the wheel is no longer an edge‑case problem – it’s mainstream.

Your employees don’t stop being members of the driving population when they arrive at work, the risk doesn’t end at the warehouse gate, mine site, depot, or office.

This Matters for All Our Safety

• The same substances driving increases in road trauma are also the most common drugs detected in workplace testing.
• Polysubstance use (“cocktail use”) – a key driver of severe crashes – is also increasing in workplace test results (ref: nationwide AOD testing providers consistently report rising dual‑substance detections, predominantly Methamphetamine/THC).
• Legislative and policy frameworks are shifting rapidly, especially around medicinal cannabis and the move from presence-based to impairment-based approaches.
• In other words – road risk is workplace risk.

The Road – Workplace Link

What we see on roads is a reflection of what’s happening in the broader population – including the workforce. The “dual risk” profile is now unmistakable:

• Methylamphetamine is the dominant stimulant in both roadside testing and workplace testing.
• THC remains consistently detected in younger drivers and younger workers.
• Cocaine continues its upward trend across both domains.
• Polysubstance use is a shared, escalating risk for crash likelihood and workplace incidents.

If 10.5% of drivers in Victoria’s roadside tests are returning positive results, then a portion of those individuals are also turning up to work – potentially in safety‑sensitive roles.

Now the Science – What the Research Shows

Recent research from the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) and the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine (VIFM) paints a detailed picture of changing road trauma patterns in Victoria.

A ten-year analysis of serious crashes (2014-2024) found that 38-40% of seriously injured drivers and motorcyclists had at least one impairing substance in their system at the time of the incident. This includes illegal drugs, prescription medications, and alcohol. 

The Big Three Substances?

1. Methylamphetamine – the most frequently detected illicit drug, increasing fourfold over the past decade.
2. THC (Cannabis) – especially common among 19-24-year-olds and motorcyclists.
3. Alcohol – while trending downward, it remains a major contributor in serious crashes and continues to pose a significant risk.
   
   

Emerging Trends

• 21.6% of injured drivers had two or more substances (“polysubstance use”).
• Ketamine, cocaine and New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) have increased sharply in the last five years.
• Rural regions show higher stimulant and depressant use.
• Age patterns are distinct – younger drivers for THC/alcohol, mid-life for stimulants, older adults for prescription depressants.

The Deterrence Gap

While drink driving is widely condemned, drug driving does not carry the same social stigma, despite far higher detection rates.