Boundaries, consistency, and systems that don’t bend when someone insists they’re the exception – are the only real protection organisations have.
Few stories show this more clearly than the case of Natasha Jansen – a Sydney mother whose explanation for a high‑range drink‑driving reading was accepted in court… and who then flipped her car less than three weeks later on a quiet Northbridge street.
When the Story Works… Once
In July 2024, Jansen was found asleep behind the wheel outside her children’s school sports grounds. She blew 0.243 at the roadside and 0.193 at the station. Her lawyer argued that a chlorophyll health tonic, combined with a reflux condition, had caused mouth alcohol to spike the reading – and the court accepted it. The charge was dismissed. An unusual defence – memorable because it worked.
…And When It Stops Working
Eighteen days later, on 29 August at 11:30am, she ploughed into two parked cars, flipping her Mercedes on Kameruka Road. Builders pulled her from the wreck. She refused a breath test at the station and was charged with negligent driving and failing to submit to a test. Later toxicology added another charge – driving with delta‑9‑tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – the psychoactive compound in cannabis in her system.
The Behaviour Pattern Too Many People Miss
There’s a predictable pattern in human behaviour – when someone avoids consequences once, they often start believing they’re immune to them. This wasn’t one bad call – it was a progression. Each step reinforcing the belief that the last one “didn’t really matter.” Workplaces see the same mindset.
- “I’m fine to drive.”
- “It was just a big night.”
- “I’ll be right once I adjust to the medication.”
People don’t leap from “fine” to flipping a car. They get there gradually – convinced they’re the exception.
The Risk We Create When Stories Replace Boundaries
People are incredibly skilled at rationalising their own behaviour. If acknowledging feels uncomfortable, they’ll create a narrative that removes the discomfort. When organisations tolerate these stories – even once – they create space for more of them. That’s where safety programs break down. Not because rules are unclear; but because someone, somewhere, decides they don’t apply this time.
Workplaces Don’t Need to Name and Shame
But they can’t ignore the quiet sentences that always come before high‑risk decisions:
- “It was just last night.”
- “I feel fine.”
- “I didn’t think it would hit me this hard.”
A “big night” can still mean someone arrives at work three or four times over the limit, which could be followed by driving a co-worker to a meeting, operating machinery, or making critical decisions. A new prescription medication that’s not understood or explained clearly can impact judgement, coordination, and reaction time. Fatigue, medication and hangovers can’t be accurately self‑assessed by the person experiencing them.
These aren’t hypotheticals. They’re the small, familiar misjudgements that eventually lead to the loud crash on a suburban street.
If you’d like support in building a safer, more transparent culture, we can tailor training that delivers crucial, practical information for your team. We also offer policy review and guidance, onsite testing, and online training for organisations wanting flexible options. Get in touch here – we’re here to help.