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About roadside drug driving testing

New Zealand Police can screen a driver’s saliva (oral fluid) for drugs at the roadside anytime, anywhere.

Changes to the Land Transport Act 1998 have enabled Police to rollout roadside drug driving testing using a mobile drug screening device – joining the likes of Australia, United Kingdom and many European countries.

These changes to the law help to deter and detect driving after the recent use of qualifying drugs that can impact the safety of everyone on our roads.

How will it work?

A police officer can stop any driver and require them to complete a drug screening test. A driver will usually be tested for alcohol first.

Police dog sitting with lead and dog handler in background.

Note: ‘Pass’ means no drugs were detected at or above the threshold built into the device. ‘Free to go’ means that roadside drug driving procedures have been completed. Police may require the driver to remain if they have concerns about other breaches of the law, such as a faulty vehicle or driver licence irregularities.

Drug screening test

The driver will wipe the device pads down the front of their tongue once, to screen for the recent use of THC (cannabis), methamphetamine (meth), MDMA (ecstasy) and cocaine. This step takes about 7-10 minutes.

If the test is negative, it means no drugs have been detected at or above the limit and the testing process is complete. The driver is free to go if all other Police procedures are complete.

A positive test means the device detects one or more of those four drugs at or above their limit.

If the drug screening test is positive, the driver must:

  1. Provide a saliva sample by holding an absorbent collection pad under their tongue. The saliva sample is sent for laboratory testing of 25 drugs and medicines. You can find out more about this at the Drugs and drug limits webpage.
  2. A driver may elect to provide a separate saliva sample for their own laboratory analysis (at their own cost). This is collected in the same way as the sample above. Find out more about elective samples.
  3. Complete a second drug screening test (just like the first test) to determine whether you can drive or not.

If the second drug screening test is also positive, the driver cannot drive for 12 hours. If it’s negative, the driver is free to go after all Police procedures are completed. The saliva sample will still be sent for laboratory analysis.

An infringement notice is issued if the laboratory test confirms that one or more of the 25 qualifying drugs are present at or above their limit.

If a driver fails or refuses to comply with roadside drug testing procedures, they will receive an infringement notice and will be forbidden to drive for 12 hours.

FAQs

Why has roadside drug testing been introduced?


Everyone should be able to get to their destination safely.

Since 2015, the presence of impairing drugs in driver’s blood in fatal crashes has more than doubled. Impairing drugs present in fatal crashes is now about equal to alcohol. Between 2019 and 2023, drivers in over one-third of fatal crashes were found to have drugs in their system.

Roadside drug driving testing helps to deter and detect driving after the recent use of qualifying drugs that can impact the safety of everyone on our roads.

Police, alongside other road safety agencies, are working together to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries happening on our roads and prevent the devastation these cause to families and communities.

 

What is Police’s current operational policy in relation to drug driving enforcement?


The Impaired Driving chapter of the Police Manual outlines how New Zealand Police detect, test, and enforce laws relating to alcohol, drug, and fatigue‑impaired driving.
 

Are you using this to target people?


Drug use is on the rise across New Zealand, and this is equally evident in the number of people who test positive for drugs following an injury or death on our roads.

Drug use is not specific to one group of people. Our role is to stop drivers who endanger their lives or others by driving after recently taking an impairing drug.

If you get stopped, and we test you for drug driving, and you test positive – you have broken the law.

 

What legislation deals with drug driving?


The legislation for drug driving is the Land Transport Act (Drug Driving) Amendment Act 2022 and 2025, which are part of the Land Transport Act (LTA) 1998.
 

Who does this legislation impact?


This legislation and any subsequent enforcement will apply to people who have recently consumed a qualifying drug, and/or have mixed with other qualifying drugs or alcohol.

You have a responsibility to understand the medicine/s you are taking and if it impacts your driving ability.

 

If you or someone you know has a problem with drugs or alcohol, there’s help available.

  • Alcohol Drug Helpline: Providing confidential and free support to anyone who is concerned about their own or someone else’s drug use including medication.
  • Healthline: Offering free health advice, information and treatment plans from professional healthcare providers including nurses, paramedics and health advisors.
  • The Level: Providing accessible and practical information about drugs, harm reduction, and support.

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