The Importance of RBTs in the Fight Against Road Deaths

As someone who lost my 17-year-old son, Barney, to a drunk driver, the news of reduced Random Breath Tests (RBTs) in parts of Sydney due to police staff shortages is deeply concerning. Ben Graham’s recent article in?The Daily Telegraph highlights the difficult decision police have had to make. However, it’s clear that reducing RBTs is not the answer—especially when drink-driving fatalities are on the rise in NSW.

Barney’s death was not an accident. It was the result of criminal behaviour—a driver with a blood alcohol level of 0.142 who wasn’t tested at the scene. This failure in the system resulted in the driver walking away without any real penalty or rehabilitation program reflecting the gravity of his actions and the proportionality of his crimes. This continues to compound our family’s grief. Since then, I have been a passionate advocate for stronger road safety laws and more active policing, including the critical role of RBTs.

RBTs are more than just a deterrent—they save lives. Recent research by NRMA shows that one in ten drivers admit to driving over the legal alcohol limit. This is staggering and highlights the need for more—not fewer—RBTs. When drivers believe they can evade detection, the risk to public safety increases exponentially.

The NRMA research also found the best practice is for at least 1.1 RBTs per licence holder each year, equating to over 7.3 million tests across NSW. Unfortunately, we’ve seen a 36% drop in RBTs since 2019. This decline coincides with an increase in the road toll, of 351 people killed on NSW roads in 2023, which represents a significant increase of 70 deaths, or approximately 24.91%, from the year before. Every one of those statistics represents a family torn apart, like mine, because of preventable road deaths.

While I understand the challenges facing our police force, I firmly believe that cutting back on RBTs is a dangerous move. The community needs to feel confident that drink drivers will be caught. The visibility of RBTs on the roads is crucial in preventing reckless, life-threatening behaviour.

We need to be doing more, not less, to protect our loved ones from the tragedy of road trauma. The Government must prioritise police resourcing to ensure that lifesaving RBTs continue at full capacity. The Premier Chris Minns and Police Minister Yasmin Cately need to show some inkling of leadership. For my son Barney, and for every family like mine, we cannot afford to let drink drivers slip through the cracks.