Annual performance indicators of enforced driver behaviours in South Australia, 2008

Abstract

This report was produced to quantify performance indicators for selected enforced driver behaviours (drink driving, drug driving, speeding and restraint use) in South Australia for the calendar year 2008. The level of random breath testing (RBT) in South Australia in 2008 decreased slightly but remained at a relatively high level. The proportion of tests conducted using mobile RBT continued to increase. The detection rate, based on evidentiary testing, decreased slightly in 2008 but remained at a relatively high level that was similar to those in other Australian jurisdictions. The level of drug testing doubled in 2008 due to the expansion and decentralisation of the drug testing program. Testing rates per head of population continued to be the highest in Australia. The drug detection rate fell slightly in 2008, as did the level of drug driving among fatally injured drivers. Methylamphetamine continued to be the most commonly detected drug. The number of hours spent on speed enforcement increased slightly in 2008 to the highest level recorded. The number of speeding detections increased for all types of detection devices but speed camera detections increased the most. Detections per thousand vehicles passing a speed camera increased by almost 70 per cent, most likely due to a lowering of the speed limit tolerance. Systematic speed surveys found reductions in travelling speeds on almost all road types. Restraint offences increased by 26 per cent in 2008. Restraint use in serious and fatal crashes remained lower in rural regions than in the metropolitan area. Males were more likely to be charged with a restraint offence and less likely to be wearing a restraint in a fatal or serious injury crash. Spending on publicity increased for all four enforced driver behaviours in 2008.