Police are soon to deploy oral drug tests at roadside checkpoints in response to a surge in drug-impaired driving, the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said yesterday.
CIB Director-General Chou Yu-wei (周幼偉) announced the measure at a news conference highlighting a nationwide crackdown on the illegal use of etomidate-based substances, which he described as a growing threat to public safety.
Drivers under the influence of the drug have been linked to several fatal and injurious incidents involving both bystanders and police officers, the bureau said.
Photo: Chiu Chun-fu, Taipei Times
Local police agencies are expected to receive the new test kits soon as part of the national anti-narcotics operation, Chou said.
The crackdown has already led to the seizure of 3,250 etomidate e-cigarette cartridges and potential charges against 878 alleged dealers and users, he said.
Currently, officers can only administer urine tests at checkpoints, requiring lab analysis and allowing drug-impaired drivers to go free in the meantime, he added.
The introduction of on-the-spot oral tests would enable police to intervene immediately and prevent intoxicated motorists from causing further incidents, he said.
Oral drug tests capable of producing results in under three minutes would allow police to immediately confiscate vehicles and suspend licenses from drug-impaired drivers, helping to prevent serious accidents, Chou said.
The main hurdle to their deployment is legal rather than technological, as laws and regulations must be amended to authorize their use and set clear standards for what constitutes a positive result, he said.
The Ministry of Transportation and Communications is drafting the necessary changes, with a public comment period expected soon, he said.
The earliest the new legal framework could be passed is late next month, the bureau said.
The CIB is targeting etomidate-based substances and their derivatives, which are often inhaled through e-cigarettes.
Drivers under the influence of these drugs can quickly lose control of their vehicles, Chou said.
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