Turning the Tide on Drunk Driving: Prioritising Enforcement Over Excuses.

Drunk driving continues to shatter lives across New South Wales, yet random breath testing (RBT) numbers are at a historic low, allowing dangerous drivers to remain on the roads. It's time to demand more than excuses from policymakers; we need a fully funded and proactive approach to restore these life-saving checks, ramp up enforcement, and put in place mandatory alcohol interlocks for all offenders.

Over the past four years, there has been a staggering drop in RBTs—a nearly 40% decline from 2018 to 2023*. In 2018, police conducted over 5.5 million RBTs; by 2023, that number had plummeted to just under 3.3 million. In 2024, we are on track for one of the lowest years of enforcement on record. This drastic reduction likely means thousands of drunk drivers have gone undetected, remaining on the roads to endanger lives. The missed opportunity to remove these dangerous drivers is a failure we cannot afford to repeat. The NRMA has been consistently calling on the NSW Government to attract and retain Police to ensure that visible policing is increased and that RBT rates are aligned with best practices, and they are not the only ones calling for urgent change.?

Resource Constraints are frequently cited as a reason for conducting fewer RBTs, with police pointing to budget cuts, staffing shortages, or the need to allocate resources elsewhere. While it’s true that resources are limited, the cost of inaction is far greater. Every preventable road death is a failure to prioritise public safety. Properly managed RBT programs are an investment in saving lives, and cutting them due to budget constraints is a shortsighted and dangerous decision. It’s not just about catching offenders; it’s about creating a deterrent that prevents potential offenders from taking that risk in the first place.?

The Perception of Success is another flawed justification for reducing RBTs. An increase in positive tests might lead some authorities to believe the problem is under control, prompting them to shift focus to other areas. This is a dangerous misconception. A rise in positive tests indicates that the issue remains prevalent and demands more - not less - attention. Reducing RBTs in such circumstances is akin to ignoring a problem that urgently needs to be addressed.

The Pandemic's Impact on policing practices is understandable but should not have led to a sustained reduction in RBTs. While the initial decrease was due to necessary public health measures, the focus on road safety should have resumed as conditions improved. Drunk driving did not disappear during the pandemic, and the risks it poses are as severe as ever. Our commitment to road safety must remain unwavering, pandemic or not.

Targeted Policing is often touted as a more efficient use of resources, with law enforcement focusing on areas or times where drunk driving is more likely. While targeted operations are valuable, they should complement—not replace—random testing. The deterrent effect of RBTs lies in their unpredictability. If drivers believe they can avoid detection by altering their route or timing, the effectiveness of the program is severely compromised. A balance of random and targeted testing is crucial to maintaining a strong deterrent.?

Public Awareness campaigns, while essential, are not a substitute for active enforcement. The belief that increased awareness reduces incidents—and thus the need for RBTs—is overly optimistic. Education and enforcement must go hand in hand. Awareness campaigns may reduce the number of offenders, but the presence of RBTs reinforces the message that drunk driving will not be tolerated. Hoping people will do the right thing is not enough; we must ensure they have no other choice.?

While I am led to believe that the government campaigns research well, the NSW Government probably has an opportunity to raise its game in the area of advertising communications. Relying on the same ‘Plan B Campaign’ with minor tweaks and expecting different results would be a gross misuse of public funds. As Albert Einstein said, "Insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results." It’s time for a less tame advertising strategy that is becoming wallpaper and more targeted campaigns.

Technology for good. To truly reduce road deaths, we need more than just RBTs. A comprehensive managed alcohol interlock program for all offenders should be central to our preventative measures. Imagine the impact if every person caught drunk driving had to explain to their family and friends that they could only drive a car with an alcohol interlock. Such a requirement could be one of the most effective campaigns to make drunk driving a social anathema, similar to the shift in societal views on domestic violence. By mandating the use of alcohol interlocks for low, mid and high-range DUIs, we can directly prevent individuals caught driving under the influence from reoffending while also creating a robust social deterrent. Other jurisdictions are doing this; the evidence for reducing trauma is irrefutable and will not impact most drivers.

The importance of this measure is underscored by troubling statistics from New South Wales (NSW), where 18% of adults and 26% of young people convicted of drunk or drug driving are re-convicted of the same offence within ten years. This recidivism rate highlights the urgent need for stronger deterrents and consistent enforcement. Research from the U.S. indicates that individuals caught drunk driving have, on average, driven drunk 80 times before being apprehended. Without robust preventative measures, the cycle of reoffending is likely to continue.

The rise of apps like Waze (Owned by Google), which some people use to avoid police checkpoints, presents a new challenge—and an opportunity. Rather than allowing such technology to help individuals evade the law, we should explore how these innovations can be harnessed for good. Imagine if these apps could be used to promote safe driving habits or even alert users to the presence of RBTs as a deterrent rather than a warning. By repurposing these technologies, we can turn them into tools that support law enforcement and public safety rather than undermining them.

None of the reasons given for reducing RBTs are justifiable when compared to the loss of life and suffering caused by drunk driving. We must commit to a robust, well-funded, and consistently enforced program that includes random breath testing, alcohol interlock devices for offenders, and possibly private funding to support these initiatives. Lives depend on it.

— Duncan Wakes-Miller

RBT Numbers by year in NSW (source NSW Government):

2018: 5,538,320

2019: 6,014,549

2020: 2,839,850

2021: 2,794,704

2022: 3,757,708

2023: 3,315,716

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